60 Minutes: The Electric Wasteland

Materials and Processes has been taking a break from touring companies, to exploring the world of technology.  We recently watched a 60 Minutes special called The Electric Wasteland.  What happens to our old computers, cell phones, or other electronics after we are done with them?  Some people stow them in their basement, or storage.  Others send them off to be recycled.  And some just throw them in the trash.  However, the technology from the last two examples I have mentioned sometimes end up at the same place.  E-waste is electric waste, and is one of the fastest growing components of waste.  This electric material can be full of dangerous metals.  Unfortunately, some of our old electronic devices are shipped illegally to China, even from some recycling plants.  This waste is harming their environment, and people.  Many of the children have lead in their blood from playing in the rivers that is full of dangerous chemicals.  However, many of the locals are protective of this waste, because some of the valuable metals it contains.  This is obviously a huge problem.  We continue to work harder for these old electronic devices to be recycled correctly and not shipped illegally to developing countries.