Every year, upgraded browsers make older computers obsolete. Enhanced virus protection exceeds the available work space. New applications drive cell phone modifications. Stodgy appliances go digital. And tons of discarded electronic waste heads to the landfill. Solid waste disposal has always been a challenge, but the problems are especially serious in coastal areas where landfill leachate threatens fragile ecosystems and scarce freshwater resources. Although numerous papers address the problems associated with disposal of this potentially toxic waste, very little attention has been given to workers who transport, dismantle, and reuse these devices. This paper identifies common chemical exposures associated with recycling electronic waste, or e-waste, and it proposes ways to protect low-skilled workers.
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