A recycled laptop's journey, Part 1: Exporting toxic waste

"For years, [the e-scrap and e-waste problem] was a dirty little secret, both on the production and disposal side -- it's an energy and materials intensive industry, many of which are extremely toxic," said Robin Schneider, vice chair of the Electronics Take-Back Coalition and executive director of the Texas Campaign for the Environment.

While they are instrumental in disseminating information and raising environmental consciousness, our dependence on digital electronics is also putting ever greater strains on us and our environment.

"Manufacturing a desktop computer and 17-inch CRT monitor uses at least 240 kg (530 lbs) of fossil fuels, 22 kg (50 lbs) of chemicals and 1,500 kg (3,330 lbs) of water -- a total of 1.8 tons (1.9 English tons) of materials -- roughly the weight of a sports utility vehicle or a rhinoceros," according to Computers and the Environment, a 2004 book released by United Nations University (UNU).

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