# Where Your Electronics Go When They Die



## MA-Caver (May 19, 2011)

Or when they become obsolete... which ever comes first.... likely obsolete. 

http://totallycoolpix.com/2011/05/when-electronics-become-obsolete/


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## mmartist (Apr 4, 2012)

And all of these piles get recycled and go into your new electronic devices  The circle is closed.


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## Dansolo (Apr 4, 2012)

Actually, a significant amount of computer part "recycling" companies just ship the parts to China where they go into basically a landfill (but not a well-controlled landfill as far as any regulations meant to keep hazardous chemicals out of the surrounding soil/area).

It's irresponsible and awful, especially to the innocent people in China who have to deal with all sorts of poisonous chemicals in the soil and in other products. (Not that Chinese companies don't try to screw both the Chinese people over as well as other countries e.g. melamine in milk and all sorts of other stories you guys have probably already read about... but that's one extreme case of two wrongs not making a right.)


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## mmartist (Apr 4, 2012)

Thanks *Dansolo*. I didn't know that. I knew the people in China are employed for all kind of work, but didn't expect that. I thought such thing are done safely for the people and the environment.


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## Dansolo (Apr 4, 2012)

Unfortunately since China is not as developed as the US (don't get me wrong - they ARE catching up) there are not as many regulations (or maybe they're just not nearly as well enforced) and a lot of companies just sort of do whatever they want to, and foreign-based (both US and other countries) also take advantage to the detriment of Chinese soil and pollution levels of the planet in general. Not to mention the ever-ongoing Foxconn news coverage about poor working conditions in factories there, just as used to be the case in the US before unions were created to deal with it (and unfortunately mostly have gotten rather corrupt)

 Here are some sources for my previous statement:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/video-chinas-toxic-wastelands-of-consumer-electronics-revealed/ - where I learned about this originally
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4586903n
http://electronicrecyclers.com/NationalGeographic.aspx
http://www.salon.com/2006/04/10/ewaste/


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