Recycling is a good thing, right? Well, not always.... Free market mechanisms mean that, when seeking labour services, they are generally procured with the lowest cost being the priority. While it costs $20 to recycle a computer in the United States, it costs only $2 to do so in a place like India. As a result, much of our e-waste heads to developing countries, where, conversely, a little hard currency is prized over health and environmental concerns.
The clip below sheds light on this practice -- with children physically handling cadmium and other health-threatening substances, breathing toxic fumes from acids (which, when spent, are subsequently poured into local open sewers) and the burning of circuit boards.
Once again, the first two Rs in "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" need a lot more attention. There's no better way to eliminate end waste than to not create the product in the first place.
Hat tip: The Sietch Blog
Further Reading:
