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ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT RECYCLING
ADVICE TO MOTHERS FROM A MOM

 

 

Electronic equipment recycling cautions. Catch a glimpse of what happens to 70% of the west's electronic equipment sent for recycling, and run with a solid solution.

I never would have imagined this in my electronic equipment recycling:

1. What I expected to happen
2. 70% odds of what may have actually happened
3. Children, families poisoned from toxic waste everywhere
4. The only route I'll ever go in the future

A few years ago, I was very new to all of the going green movement. My friends started to talk about improving the environment more and more often.

I felt it made total sense.

I've long been in the habit of separating the garbage. Then, I started to look at more ways to do my part.

I'd been wanting to get rid of me and my husbands old TV set and three computers we were storing in the shed. After searching online I found a company nearby doing an event where my husband could drop off our old machines for free.

That day we drove over, waited in a line of cars and they had several guys carry the stuff out of my husbands truck. They obviously seemed to know what they were doing.

What I expected to happen

I really didn't know what to expect, other then they would recycle the electronic equipment and reuse it somehow. Although I was still learning, I felt I was doing great at reducing, reusing and recycling.

I had no idea of the actual process recycling companies use to recycle electronics, anymore than car parts. I just figured the materials would get reused in new machines and electronics.

70% odds of what may have actually happened

Soon after I saw a news broadcast about what I believe was the same company shipping containers of electronics to China to be dismantled by children and unemployed farm workers.

It showed massive amounts of ewaste lying in front of every house for blocks in a city named Guiyu. There was container truck after container truck rolling in to dump the newest shipments.

It said that 70% of all ewaste from the west ends up in China.

It covered how over 100,000 workers there made only $1.50-$2.00 per day breaking apart the components using primitive tools. Part of these resources consists of highly poisonous chemicals to separate and retain the steal, aluminum, copper, and gold found in electronics.

While inhaling fumes, some workers melt the solder from mother boards to extract the tiny amounts of precious metals. When they're done, they just burn the electronic scrap boards on the streets, right near rivers.

Children, families poisoned from toxic waste everywhere

The toxic waste from the enormous amount of electronic equipment being recycled in China is spread over countless miles.

Water is undrinkable and must be trucked in from 30 miles away. Yet, they wash their fruits, vegetables, clothes and dishes in the toxic river. What do they shower in I wonder?

All of this amounts to:

• Dioxins released in the air from circuit board burning
• Lead and tin contaminated land, air and water
• Lead levels in the land are 200 times safe levels

They showed the health issues of these poor people, many of which were young children having respiratory and skin problems. This is no way to live.

The only route I'll ever go in the future

After learning of all of this I was very careful in recently recycling my cell phones and our old stereo system. I discovered that companies who are willing to pay you for your old electronics are usually the first to resell the scrap into China in order to recoup what they paid you.

I found and chose AER who stands miles above the crowd in their industry and learned they shared my concern and were very open with their processes. Their site is one of the few that describes the same thing I learned on TV. They are 100% intent on reducing, reusing and recycling responsibly right here in America.

And, they're representative told me that if they aren't set-up to process an item, they'll still receive it from you, and they will ship it to another certified American company who is, at their expense.

They understand the law, and I discovered that more importantly they have morals. I cannot say enough about how good I feel about using All Electronics Recycling for every end-of-life electronic you want to dispose of. I suggest you use them as well.

No matter what you do, think of the people in China and the children there who all suffer because of what's happening here.

Schedule your electronic equipment recycling pick-up today!

All Electronics Recycling is currently picking up most everything with an electric cord in your neighborhood (commercial or residential) for reuse or recycling.

So, if you really want responsible electronic equipment recycling, I suggest filling out the form up on the right or calling us now at (800) 924-0884 to be scheduled in our pick-up routes.

P.S. Also, please ask your friends, family, and colleagues to leave you their electronic equipment for recycling so we may pick it all up on the same trip as well. We can always come back next month, although that may increase our carbon footprint, so please act now.

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