A girl in Guiyo, China stands in front of a pile of e-waste holding a trashed keyboard manufactured by Apple. © Greenpeace / Bruno Rebelle.

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that we’ve focused on the problem of e-waste in several posts in the past. We’re all aware of the dangers that improper disposal or recycling of e-waste poses — dangerous chemicals and substances from e-waste can leach into surrounding soil or contaminate water supplies and the air quality around dump sites.

Unfortunately, there are very few studies that have documented how harmful e-waste really is to human health. A new study published recently in the IOP Publishing’s journal Environmental Research Letters aims to shed light on this issue by detailing the exact nature of how e-waste can be extremely harmful to our health.

What the researchers discovered was both heartbreaking and astounding. E-waste particles in the air that workers in the city breath directly cause “stress and inflammation leading to heart diseases, DNA damage, and cancer.”

Article: http://www.pacebutler.com/blog/e-waste-kills-new-study-reveals/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+PacebutlerRecycling+%28Pacebutler+Blog%29

Science Daily: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110531084958.htm

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

By the Advocate Editorial Board Originally published September 16, 2010 at 6:09 p.m., updated September 16, 2010 at 6:25 p.m.

Most people accumulate outdated computers and other electronic devices. That’s why the E-waste days provided by the city of Victoria is a great service.

And what’s really nice is that it is free of any charge to Victoria residents. All you have to do is collect the electronics you want to get rid of and take your discards to the back parking lot of the Community Center to drop them off.

Old TVs, computers, VCR/DVD players, laptops, cell phones and too many other electronics to name will be accepted.

We think recycling electronic waste is a benefit to our city and environment. If we had to discard all those outdated computers, monitors and other electronic equipment, the dump would be filled with material that would take hundreds, maybe thousands, of years to break down. 

Besides, environmental laws now prohibit TVs and computers from landfills. Mercury, lead and other chemicals found in TVs and computers prevent these items from being among other trash in landfills.

Full Article: http://bit.ly/93ICwP

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

» Click here to view video

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
May 28, 2009

After tracking hazardous waste shipments and dumping around the world, a national environmental group has sounded the alarm about a million pounds of old electronics innocently donated in Pennsylvania.

Basel Action Network contends that the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society and Allegheny County, Pa., should have known that a free electronics recycling program was too good to be true. The environmental group this week issued a report claiming that EarthEcycle — which collected more than 1 million pounds of old electronics through the Humane Society’s recycling campaign in March and April — ships hazardous waste to countries where it will most likely end up in toxic dumping grounds.

» Click here to view article (By KARAMAGI RUJUMBA, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration’s Region IV has announced a regional emphasis program (REP) targeting recyclers. The REP means that members should anticipate increased enforcement efforts in coming months. Attached is the text of the letter sent by OSHA announcing the Regional Emphasis Program, followed by the names and addresses of OSHA contacts for every involved state.

As always, ISRI Safety is available to help you with your safety needs by offering a broad range of safety outreach services free of charge to our members. All of them can help you prepare for OSHA compliance audits. For details on ISRI Safety Outreach, visit www.isri.org/safety or call Anne Marie Horvath, ISRI’s safety program manager, at 202-662-8511, or email annemariehorvath@isri.org. I am likewise always available to help you with your safety needs, so please don’t hesitate to call me at 202-662-8515, or email

johngilstrap@isri.org.

Sincerely,

John Gilstrap

Director of Safety

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.

1615 L. St, NW

Suite 600

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 662-8515

(202) 626-0915 (fax)

johngilstrap@isri.org

June 22, 2009

Dear Stakeholder:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has initiated a Regional Emphasis

Program (REP) focusing on health hazards related to operations involving scrap and waste materials, including recycling/reclaim facilities. As a result of this regional emphasis program (REP), the Area Offices in Region IV will be conducting inspections of workplaces that have been identified as having operations and possible worker exposures to common health hazards found in this industry. The most common causes of illnesses are poisoning (e.g., lead or cadmium poisoning), disorders associated with repeated trauma, high levels of noise, skin diseases or disorders, and respiratory conditions due to inhalation of, or other contact with, toxic agents. We are notifying you of our intent to conduct these inspections because your company may be covered by this emphasis program. OSHA continues to offer compliance assistance focusing on prevention of occupational injuries and illnesses. As part of this new emphasis program, compliance assistance products are readily available to assist your company in enhancing its safety and health program. You can obtain information about hazard communication, respiratory protection, lead, cadmium, hearing conservation and noise, lockout/tagout, emergency action plans and safety and health programs from OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov. Specific information about the hazards of working in the scrap and waste materials recycling industry can be obtained from OSHA’s area offices. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact our office and we will provide copies of this information to you. You may contact our office at any time for further assistance: OSHA, Atlanta-West Area Office, 2400 Herodian Way, Suite 250 Smyrna, GA 30080. The office’s phone number is 770-984-8700. OSHA also offers a free Consultation Service under Section 21(d) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The 21(d) Consultation Service helps employers to identify (and correct) potential hazards at their worksites and improve their occupational safety and health management systems. This service is delivered by universities using well-trained safety and health professionals. To schedule this free consultation service, please contact the 21(d) Consultation Program at: Georgia Institute of Technology, The Safety & Health Consultation Program, Phone: 404-407-7431, Fax: 404-407-8275, Website: www.oshainfo.gatech.edu. Your interest in protecting your employees from safety and health hazards is appreciated.

Sincerely,

Andre C. Richards

Area Director

OSHA, Atlanta-West Area Office

Regional_Office_in_Philadelphia,_215_861_4900

http://www.isri2.org/broadcast/safety/OSHA_region_4.pdf

Bookmark It

Hide Sites