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1. 04-16-2008 12:30

I agree! Amazing that this still going on. If our own profession can't get its house in order, why should we expect other professionals to deal with the environmental damage they cause -- maybe to our kids?

Guest

2. 04-16-2008 14:29

Hopefully with Green IT and Green 'everything' big in the news now, governments will give manufacturers incentives to start using more eco-friendly components/materials.

Guest

3. 04-27-2008 09:46

One start would be to buy based on the 'greeness' of the product. Also a lot of suppliers have a take-back policy nowadays. http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/reports/guide-to-greener-elect-7

Guest

4. 04-28-2008 10:57

Here is a very good video on ewaste. Worth a watch. 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkB95vA4TA4 
 
I was reading an article today and came across this particular information. In 2009, when the analog to digital switchover takes place, around 80 million televisions might not work without a special converter box? if this means getting rid of 80 million TV sets, I wonder how we will dispose of them? Will we just leave them out with the trash for the Tuesday garbage pick up??

Registered

5. 05-12-2008 02:32

Definitely E-Waste is a serious problem in India. I am working for a company which processes e waste is a scientific and professional manner. How ever the big challenge is evn the big companies not letting go their e waste for recycling. They expect to sell the waste as scrap .Very big challenge to educate the companies.

Registered

6. 06-12-2008 15:14

Where Do We Start? 
Thanks to all for joining the discussion. Yes, as Todd and Martijn suggest, manufacturers could be an initial focus -- it's called Producer Responsibility. A dozen states, along with NYC, have producer responsibility laws on the books, and another dozen will consider such legislation this year. Meanwhile, some companies, like Dell and Sony, have taken a proactive approach, with computers and TV sets, respectively. 
 
Speaking of TVs, while I've already mentioned the risks associated with the upcoming analog to digitial conversion, mercury contamination will be another looming problem. The reason? LCD screens. 
 
LCDs use mercury lamps to light their screens. Milligams of mercury are used in each LCD, but it is so toxic that as little as one gram of airborne mercury deposited per year to a 20-acre lake is enough to maintain mercury contamination at a level where the fish are unsafe to eat. http://www.e-takeback.org/docs%20open/Toolkit_Legislators/tools/Ewaste%20Briefing%20Book.pdf

Registered

7. 07-02-2008 13:32

That's an interesting site, with a practical but passionate approach to addressing this problem. Do you know of any others?

Guest

8. 07-07-2008 10:49

Dear Suzanne, here are a few thought-provoking sites – more to come! 
 
This site argues thoughtfully that it’s not just producers who have a responsibility for reducing e-waste, but consumers as well: 
http://thriftopia.com/2008/05/29/who-should-pay-for-e-waste-disposal/ 
 
This stolid Swiss approach focuses on lessons learned by Europe that may be applicable to the less-developed nations that are now the primary dumping grounds for e-waste. 
http://ewasteguide.info/ 
 
Here is a useful reminder to we IT people that our function is a solution – and a money-making one – not just a problem. 
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39421622,00.htm

Registered

9. 08-19-2008 14:31

While both producers and consumers should be responsible for curbing the problem of e-e-waste, disconnects in the basic structure of the economy should perhaps be addressed as well: http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/people8.Speth/speth-con0.html.

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10. 05-31-2009 00:46

There is a law scheduled to pass on ewaste, but this law still does not prevent shipping of waste to the developing countries where they will be dismantled by the bare hands of men, women and children, exposing them to hazardous materials like lead and mercury.  
 
The ETBC has reported that the U.S. exports enough e-waste each year to fill 5,126 shipping containers. The EPA estimates that the U.S. disposed of over 300 million electronics units in 2007. By some estimates, over 80 percent of the world’s e-waste ends up in China. As technologist, we need to be much more active and vocal on this issue as

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