How Discarded Computers Are Poisoning Africa's Kids
source: http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/discarded-computers-poisonous-african-children/story?id=9266722...
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- lookatmypix
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Excerpt:
"Acrid, black smoke drifts over the huts of the slum. The river, too, is black and thick like used oil, as it carries empty computer cases toward the ocean. Fires are blazing on the bank across the way, fueled by foam and slivers of plastic. Their flames consume the plastic material from cables, plugs and motherboards, leaving behind only metal....
These children live amid the refuse of the Internet age, and many of them may die of it. They pull apart the computers, breaking the screens with rocks, then throw the internal electronics onto the fires. Computers contain large amounts of heavy metals, and as the plastic burns, the children also breathe in highly carcinogenic fumes. The computers of the rich are poisoning the children of the poor.
The United Nations estimates that up to 50 million tons of electronic waste are thrown away globally each year...."
http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/discarded-computers-poisonous-african-children/stor...
They are actually making computers out of hemp now.
Hopefully this will be a solution.
Meanwhile how to stop this?
Recycling programs?
Stricter laws?
What do you think of this tragic situation?
"Acrid, black smoke drifts over the huts of the slum. The river, too, is black and thick like used oil, as it carries empty computer cases toward the ocean. Fires are blazing on the bank across the way, fueled by foam and slivers of plastic. Their flames consume the plastic material from cables, plugs and motherboards, leaving behind only metal....
These children live amid the refuse of the Internet age, and many of them may die of it. They pull apart the computers, breaking the screens with rocks, then throw the internal electronics onto the fires. Computers contain large amounts of heavy metals, and as the plastic burns, the children also breathe in highly carcinogenic fumes. The computers of the rich are poisoning the children of the poor.
The United Nations estimates that up to 50 million tons of electronic waste are thrown away globally each year...."
http://www.abcnews.go.com/WN/discarded-computers-poisonous-african-children/stor...
They are actually making computers out of hemp now.
Hopefully this will be a solution.
Meanwhile how to stop this?
Recycling programs?
Stricter laws?
What do you think of this tragic situation?
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- Community, Tech, Green, Current Tonight, 2 more
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- tags:
- Green, Environment, Children, Pollution, 4 more
