Dumped US PCs find life in developing countries

WASHINGTON, USA: More and more discarded US computers are enjoying a lease of life in developing countries, says a comprehensive study.

The findings may heighten growing concerns about environmental pollution with toxic metals that can result from dismantling and recycling computer components in developing countries.

Ramzy Kahhat and Eric Williams, professors at the University of Arizona, who led the study, focused on the situation in Peru, where Kahhat was born.

They used a Peruvian government database that tracks importation of new and used computers and computing equipment.

The researchers found that at least 85 per cent of computers imported into Peru are reused, rather than going directly into recycling.

The finding challenges the widespread belief that the trade in e-waste was mainly about dumping unusable junk or recycling components and shows it is inaccurate, at least for Peru.

The US is the source of up to 76 percent of used computers imported to Peru from 2003-07, the researchers indicated.

They note uncertainty on whether the same holds true for other, much larger countries like China and India, said a University of Arizona release.

The findings were published in the American Chemical Society's (ACS) Environmental Science and Technology.

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