California's Obsolete Computers Pollute Asia

An estimated 50 to 80 percent of all electronic waste "recycled" in the U.S. ends up in Asia.

1 minute read

February 26, 2002, 1:00 PM PST

By Abhijeet Chavan @http://twitter.com/legalaidtech


"While many consumers are led to believe their outdated equipment will be given a new life after being turned in for recycling, most often it winds up on a boat bound for China, India or Pakistan, where is it burned in rice fields or dumped into irrigation canals. The electronic trash, known as e-waste, is left to leach poisonous materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium into water supplies and the atmosphere. Investigators researching the report found waterways and rural fields littered with broken glass, circuit boards and plastic parts."

Thanks to Linda LaSut

Monday, February 25, 2002 in San Jose Mercury News

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