E-Waste, Slightly disturbing
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I was slightly disturbed today by a CBS 60-Minutes article (view it here) on electronic waste. The waste has been piling up for years as people go through hundreds of gadgets throughout their lifetime, recycling the older ones. Gadgets such as cell phones, computer monitors and televisions, CPUs, desktop keyboards and mice, and just about anything else you can think of are all making their way to be “recycled.” Here are some facts from the article:
- 130,000 computers thrown out every day in the US
- 100 million cell phones
- 20-50 million tons of waste every year globally
The numbers are astounding, but what bothers me is that people that do recycle computers hoping they are doing a good deed do not know what happens to their waste once it leaves their hands. What is actually happening in most recycling places is that tons of waste is being shipped to be imported into other countries around the world. There, the waste is broken down simply for the precious metals that are used to make the gadgets in the first place.
Hong Kong, China, is one among the main e-waste importers is stockpiling acres and acres of computer monitors. There, workers are paid $8 a day to “recycle” the materials, and breath in toxic materials by doing so. Check out the full story at CBSNews.com.
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