Archived from groups: comp.periphs.printers (
More info?)
In certain countries now, a tax or fee is being charged at the front end
to help finance proper disposal and recycling of e-waste. These are
called "take back" programs, and HP has been on the cutting edge of
this, although they have been less successful in getting the word out in
North America it would seem. They charge a fee for most equipment right
now in N.A. because the taxes on the front end aren't yet in place in
most locations.
I have to agree with you that some of the conditions I have seen
reported upon regarding workers in developing countries dismantling high
tech, has been very disheartening. In India and China, there are whole
rivers being contaminated by lead and other heavy metals from mountains
of used hi-tech (much coming from 1st world countries) that are left
there to be "recycled". The workers are often younger children and
women (some of childbearing ages) who burn off insulation from wires in
open pit fires, to extract the copper, or other similar processes.
Canada, by law is NOT supposed to allow any of our e-waste to go to
developing nations, but in one documentary I saw, they found not only
Canadian owned goods mixed in, but some pieces had government IDs tags
still readable on them.
Art
Roy wrote:
> "Tom Cumming" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
> news:d3ba62$dgh$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
>
>>On 09/04/05 23:27, Tony wrote:
>>
>>>Perhaps a non cynical reply for you Tom.
>>>We service printers at the other end of the world!
>>>HP provide a free pick up service for old hardware (doesn't have to be HP
>>>gear), we just let them know when we have enough to dispose of.
>>>The gear is sent overseas where it is recycled into usable material.
>>>So give a local printer repairer a call and see if you can drop it off to
>>>them (should be no charge). We do it all the time.
>>>Good on you for being caring.
>>
>>Many thanks.. will see how I get on!!
>
>
>
> We all need to be careful about how our discarded equipment gets re-cycled.
>
> I have seen TV footage of Electronic Equipmant being re-cycled in China.
> They import discarded stuff from all over the world.
>
> The work is being done by very poor, and I presume uneducated, people
> without any regard to their safety. They extract solder from PCBs, etc, by
> burning, or by heating over open fires. There is no environmental
> protection of any kind, and no precautions are being taken to protect these
> workers from fumes or anything else.
>
> So we need to ask our recyclers, especially those who are offering a free
> service, exactly where the material is going and how the work will be
> carried out.
> Landfill might well be a better long term solution than these Chinese
> recyclers.
>
> Roy G
>
>
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