“Environmentalists worry that, if improperly handled, used electronics like TV screens, computer monitors, and even cell phones can have devastating consequences for the air, land, and water. Jim Puckett, an environmental activist at Seattle-based Basel Action Network, has observed areas where processing takes place in the developing world. "Whole villages were making their living burning little wires, cooking computer chips, breathing toxic fumes," Puckett says. "Vats of chips were soaked in acid to extract the gold and all the residues were flushed into the river." According to surveys made on behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), these practices are not uncommon in developing countries where large quantities of electronics are informally recycled using the environmentally unsafe methods Puckett describes."
Meta-Actor: Not-for-Profit
Source Document: http://www.ictsd.org/bridges-news/biores/news/us-regulation-of-e-waste-exports-under-scrutiny-from-within
Date: October 3, 2008
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Opponents of surplus electronics exports argue that lower environmental and labor standards, cheap labor, and the relatively high value of recovered raw materials leads to a transfer of pollution-generating activities, such as smelting of copper wire. In China, Malaysia, India, Kenya, and various African countries, electronic waste is being sent to these countries for processing, sometimes illegally. Many surplus laptops are routed to developing nations as "dumping grounds for e-waste"."
Meta-Actor: Not-for-Profit
Source Document: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste
Date: Unknown
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"There is no stronger confirmation of the negative impacts electronic waste can have on the environment than looking at the overwhelming sights of developing nations such as Ghana and China where electronic waste is collected every day. The air and land pollution along with the health side effects felt by local populations are indisputable consequences of irresponsible recycling practices."
Meta-Actor: Not-for-Profit
Source Document: http://www.thesolutionsjournal.org/node/237222
Date: July 2014
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"Environmental Impact in India: A recent study from Toxics Link reveals that two regions in Delhi, India have already reported soil and water contamination. Soil was tested in Loni and Mandoli. Both had high levels of heavy metals. Both contained significant levels of lead, Loni had 147 times the amount as the control sample. Drinking water for both these regions have tested positive for substantial amounts of toxic metals. Mercury has also been found; 710 times the Indian limit in Mandoli, 20 times in Loni."
Meta-Actor: Other
Source Document: https://prezi.com/9xczcn-ucoik/e-waste-in-developing-countries/
Date: November 13, 2014
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"Greenpeace contends that residue problems are so significant that the exports of all used electronics should be banned"
Meta-Actor: Not-for-Profit
Source Document: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste_by_country
Date: Unknown
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