One of the biggest electronics dismantling operations takes place in the Guangdong province of China. In these towns, especially Guiyu, known as the E-waste capitol of the world; people work dawn to dusk taking apart devices with whatever tool is available. Everyone from children to the elderly wakes up to piles of used junk and starts work immediately, working an average of 14 hours for about $12 a day. Many of the workers are migrant workers from other parts of China (and areas that technically are not China but the government has claimed them).
We picture factories where people carefully take apart our once beloved electronics. Get that idea out of your head, and FAST! There are no factories. There are literally huge piles of equipment along the streets and inside people's homes. If that isn't bad enough, after being dismantled the pieces are just thrown in piles of similar parts outside. The metal parts of devices are boiled down in huge cauldrons to extract the heavy metals within.
Over 50 million tons of e-waste is produced each year. These piles of e-junk are sent away for safe processing because they contain lead, cadmium, and mercury, as well as other harmful materials. We are safe from our own waste, but the people taking apart these electronics are at risk for dangerous toxicity disease from a multitude of materials. Children are reported to have 25% higher blood lead levels.
Of course though the largest recipient, China cannot do all of this "safe disposal" by themselves. E-waste is also shipped to Nigeria and India and is processed under similar conditions, though not in such gross quantities. I'm not aware of the environmental situation in Nigeria besides the cyanide that goes into the water supply there from diamond mining. However, I am acutely aware that both China and India are focusing on economic growth and are ignoring the environment. This is where I use the stapler to keep from going on a rant about China.
In any event, not much is being done about this. On our end, there are a few things we can do. Buy from companies that produce "green" electronics. Don't replace electronics unless you need to (don't be a capitalist whore is what I mean by this). Return your electronics for refurbishment to the company rather than sending them to an e-waste disposal center. Lastly, pray that these countries get a big kick in the ass.
E-waste hazards: Chinese gear recyclers absorb toxic chemicals.(This Week)(electronic waste, polybrominated diphenyl ethers): An article from: Science News
In the last paragraph of your post, you stated that we, as reasonably responsible, environmentally conscientious person should return our discarded electronics to the company we purchased from for refurbishment. How do we know that the refurbishing company is actually refurbishing the electronics? The receiving company could be appeasing us and telling us that they will dispose and refurbish in an environmental fashion so that our minds are at ease, but turn around and send the junk to China.
ReplyDeleteBasically, I don't think we can trust any company no matter what they say. This is a no win situation.
People should store their stuff in the attic, and when you die, leave it to your relatives to dispose of your old e junk. By that time, hopefully there is a trustworthy way to dispose of our ejunk.
Dan,
ReplyDeleteFirst, the suggestions that I posted come directly from an article I read on the Greenpeace International website. I trust that they know a little more about the topic than me.
Second, the only benefit I see to putting it in your attic is the slim possibility of selling an antique device on ebay 200 years from now.
I do agree that we cant trust any company, especially publicly traded companies.