Tag Archives: Straight News

Used electronics shipped to developing countries from the United States are supposed to help bridge “the digital divide,” says a new report from the watchdog arm of Congress — not support an industry that relies on toxic, open-air fires, acid baths, and cheap labor to recover precious metals from high-tech trash. Examining the fate of electronics exported by U.S. “recyclers,” investigators from the Government Accountability Office found that computers, cell phones and other devices too often end up being dismantled abroad under unsafe conditions. I’ve explained more of the findings over on Sierra magazine’s Green Life. This post also appeared (through syndication) on The Huffington Post.