The Digital Dump

The NYT has an article about a report by the Basel Action Network, entitled "The Digital Dump: Exporting Reuse and Abuse to Africa." It's a damning indictment of US businesses which it alleges are exporting dodgy electronic equipment to developing nations to avoid having to recycle it properly. Laurie Flynn at the NYT writes:

"Much of the used computer equipment sent from the United States to developing countries for use in homes, schools and businesses is often neither usable nor repairable, creating enormous environmental problems in some of the world's poorest places, according to a report to be issued today by an environmental organization.

The report, titled "The Digital Dump: Exporting Reuse and Abuse to Africa," says that the unusable equipment is being donated or sold to developing nations by recycling businesses in the United States as a way to dodge the expense of having to recycle it properly. While the report, written by the Basel Action Network, based in Seattle, focuses on Nigeria, in western Africa, it says the situation is similar throughout much of the developing world."