60 Minutes Reports: Poor Recycling Processes Lead to Pollution Disasters in China
The altruistic feeling of recycling may not always lead to good things as modern technology-intensive countries like the US follow the American mantra of "out with the old and in with the new." America exports some of the most toxic computer waste products in the world to poor rural communities in countries like China where these parts are broken down and melted in manners that are highly toxic to the low wage workers who inhabit these regions. Unlike the US, many importing countries of these outdated computer monitors, keyboards and CPU's have low recycling standards and fewer regulations needed to protect workers. Whole communities are exposed to toxic fumes and mercury and toxic compounds poison their rivers and streams making these regions some of the most polluted places on the planet. Even some recycling companies like Executive Recycling, mentioned in the 60 Minutes video below, claim they do not export junked computer products to China, while 60 Minutes uncovers may not actually be the case.
