US uses India as electronics garbage dump

[HolyCity2012]

Run time: 03:03 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuUxtFL9sYw   Posted on YouTube: April 19, 2011 By YouTube Member: RTAmerica Views on YouTube: 295   Posted on DU: April 19, 2011 By DU Member: HolyCity2012 Views on DU: 716

 
As US consumers seemingly can't get enough of the latest gadgets and gizmos, the States produce around three million tons of electronic waste every year. When Americans no longer want what was hip - and today the average life span of a computer is but a measely two years - it's countries like India that end up as the dumping ground.
__________

Where does e-waste end up?
February 24, 2009

Many old electronic goods gather dust in storage waiting to be reused, recycled or thrown away. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that as much as three quarters of the computers sold in the US are stockpiled in garages and closets. When thrown away, they end up in landfills or incinerators or, more recently, are exported to Asia.

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/electronics/the-e-waste-problem/where-does-e-waste-end-up/
__________

[HolyCity2012]

1. The Story of Electronics (2010)

The Story of Electronics, employs the Story of Stuff style to explore the high-tech revolution's collateral damage—25 million tons of e-waste and counting, poisoned workers and a public left holding the bill. Host Annie Leonard takes viewers from the mines and factories where our gadgets begin to the horrific backyard recycling shops in China where many end up. The film concludes with a call for a green 'race to the top' where designers compete to make long-lasting, toxic-free products that are fully and easily recyclable.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x527948

[MineralMan]

2. The key factor is "upgradeable." With high-tech, that's a real

problem. The actual lifespan of computers and the like is pretty darned long. Without upgradeability, though, they're functionally outdated long before they're physically worn out. There's no easy solution for that, I'm afraid.

That said, I'm still using the same Dell computer I bought almost six years ago. It's still doing the job for me. I regularly, though, do a complete off-site backup again of the important data on it. It'll fail some day, and I want a way to get the data back.

[karnac]

3. my, how has e-recycling changed.

I have a friend that around a decade ago used to net 3000 -5000 bucks a container selling discarded circuit boards and components to red china. legally i may add.

It is easy to extract chips,diodes,transistors, capacitors from a board(i did it myself using hot air or a torch). you would then grind up the boards extract the precious metals. easy for them to get 30k of value.
Of course the resulting unused muck was toxic and they just dumped it like india does.

Nowadays components/boards are smaller, less precious metals are used. Less gain to be found from recycling.

But just as toxic.

[AtheistCrusader]

4. Some of this is energy conservation as well.

For those with the money, sometimes good electronics that simply consume too much power are replaced with new, efficient electronics.. Hence, more waste.