Companies Pledge to Dispose of Computers
by Associated Press
27 February 2003 –
PC Salvage of Lakewood is among 15 companies across North America pledging to dispose of old personal computers for consumers in ways that better protect health and the environment. The companies are included on a list distributed this week by the Basel Action Network, an environmental group that first raised the issue of unsafe dismantling of computers a year ago. The group said old computers were being shipped overseas where they were improperly disassembled, releasing chemicals into the environment and endangering the health of residents.
The Silicon Valley Toxics Commission estimates that the average 60-pound computer contains:
- Almost 14 pounds of plastic.
- Four pounds of lead and copper.
- 8.5 pounds of aluminum.
- Small amounts of mercury, beryllium and arsenic.
To be included on the list, the companies pledged to meet high standards of environmental responsibility, not ship computers overseas and not work with companies that fail to follow safe environmental practices. They also pledge to not ship the computers to landfills.
Instead, the companies will disassemble computers and recycle elements such as metal, glass and plastic, send cathode ray tubes to a special recycler and send circuit boards to places where precious metals are removed and boards smelted.
Besides PC Salvage, the companies include RE-PC and Total Reclaim, both in Seattle. The other companies are in California, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Florida and Canada.
FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
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