Tonight’s “60 Minutes” showed a compelling piece on how the good intentions of ‘green-minded’ modern society can be perverted for a price. Electronic waste from the USA is being ‘recycled’ in backwater China, under conditions that we hear about but rarely see. The story is not new, but these details are.
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4586903n
In a toxic twist, China is having to build more incinerators to handle its fast-growing mountain of trash, including waste imported from more developed countries (read: United States). Emissions from those incinerators will ultimately impact our health right here in North America.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/business/energy-environment/12incinerate.html
So, what is the well-intentioned recycler to do? Ask questions, and consult the watchdogs. As the “60 Minutes” piece shows, trusting the vendor alone may not be enough.
On a more positive note, the City of Vestavia Hills is hosting its first-ever “E-Cycling Day” on September 19*, in partnership with Advanced Disposal and Technical Knockout. Technical Knockout, which specializes locally in recycling electronic waste, has an excellent record, and has received good reports from groups such as the Alabama Environmental Council.
*Very Important: September 19 is also National Talk Like A Pirate Day (thank you Dave Barry).
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