The Wasteland
August 27, 2009 11:21 AM
Where does all the e-waste we generate end up? Some of it is shipped illegally from the U.S. to China, reports Scott Pelley, where it is harming the environment and the people who salvage its components.
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Who actually disposes of this toxic waste correctly? NO ONE, I would guess.
The burden of processing toxic consumer waste falls on the municipalities. Big or small the municipalities DO NOT want to deal with the problem. The recycling company in your report won a contract from the city of Denver, Colorado. I would have to believe that they bid to dispose of the waste, $999 per ton of waste, say, and beat out a company who bid $1,005 and a company who bid $1,050. So, the City of Denver was looking for the cheapest way to dispose of there citizens toxic waste. They chose the cheapest of all the other waste export companies who export this waste to China.
What is the real cost of recycling this toxic waste? Does anybody know, because I have to believe all municipalities are looking for the cheapest way out?
And what about small municipalities who are less able to afford to hire a proper facility to dispose of this waste? It gets dumped into fields, streams, etc. where the waste eventually enters our food stream. I have to believe that the toxins from a Dell computer dumped in rural Idaho are mixed into a jar of Gerber's mashed potatoes being feed to an infant in New York. At acceptable levels, of course.
I pay for the recycling of these products whether I buy them or not. My neighbor can buy 40 cell phones and a new computer a year, while I never do. And yet I still have to pay for the disposal of his toxic waste.
I propose a Waste Tax and Recycling Deposit on all electronic goods. The Waste tax is imposed on products based on the cost to properly dispose of their toxic componants. The revenue collected from that tax goes directly to government sponsored or contracted disposal facilities. So, the consumer pays for the cost of recycling a Dell Computer, say, at the point of purchase. I, who choose not to buy a new computer every year, am not burdened with the cost of disposing of your toxic waste.
A Recycling Deposit is placed on Electronic products, and is refunded when that product is delivered to a proper disposal facility. This would help to see that electronics are delivered to the proper facilities.
Otherwise, I believe that illegally shipping toxic waste to China and other countries is a brilliant solution to a growing problem and shame on anyone who thinks otherwise, yet is unwilling to pay for a healthy alternative. Believe me, NO BODY wants to pay for the disposal of their own waste. That is a problem as old as mankind.
And shame on 60 minutes for suggesting that it is the consumer who is being wasteful. You know better than that. I had to get rid of a perfectly good computer that could no longer download the "band with pigs" like cbsnews.com: internet sites that demand constant computer upgrades in order to show the flashy ads for products like Lipitor. Yes, I find Lipitor and Cbsnews.com directly responsible for this toxic waste. I think it is disgusting that programs like 60 minutes are hired to blame and sham the consumer for this waste.
I also was forced to get rid of an old T.V. set that had to be junked because of the new DTV conversion. How many TONS of useable T.V.s are filling our dumps because of that? And who did that conversion really help? Networks like CBS. The coupon program was a complete failure. I had a coupon, but I was never able to find a single store that had a converter box in stock after looking over a dozen times. It appears that the corporations did NOT want the consumer to re-fit the old T.V.s but junk them and buy new. More toxic waste.
The truth be told, the corporations who produce these products are responsible for our toxic waste problems and shows like 60 minutes are hired to cover up their capability lest CBS itself be caught as well. It is a conflict for CBS to report on electronic goods, when your company relies heavily on the ability of your advertisers to coerce consumers into the endless cycle of waste you insidiously promote.