60 MINUTES SPECIAL : THE ELECTONIC WASTELAND : AIRED NOVEMBER
18, 2008
We watched the Electronic Wasteland special in class. It was
a about a very critical concept for Industrial Designers and Product Designers
to understand: the creation of product waste. It specifically focused on the US
production of Electronic waste. It exposed realities of US “recycling,” the
sale of waste to china, and how it really is disposed of. Electronic Waste or E-waste is an informal
name for electronic products becoming unwanted, non-working or obsolete, and
have essentially reached the end of their useful life. Because technology
advances at such a high rate, many electronic devices become “trash” after a
few short years, or maybe even days, of use. Many products are even starting to
be designed for obsolescence, is a policy of planning or designing a product
with an artificially limited useful life, so it will become obsolete, that is,
unfashionable or no longer functional after a certain period of time. The
rationale behind the strategy is to generate long-term sales volume by reducing
the time between repeat purchases. Computers, televisions, phones, VCRs,
stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products that are
quickly turned over in the market, yet are not being recycled properly. Many of
these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled according to the 60
minutes special. Although some of the materials are dangerous, or difficult to
dispose of. Materials like lead, mercury, Cathode Ray Tubes, insulated wires,
PCB circuit boards contain toxins, and are very difficult and costly to dispose
of properly. When people attempt to recycle these products, many recyclers are
unwilling to got the trouble and cost to do “what they are paid to do.” Thus
they dispose of them irresponsibly, trying to cut corners. I think that the
best place for the problem of E-Waste to be headed off is at the design level.
While business has its place, we should not be accepting of principles like
designed obsolescence. We should be trying to designing products that don’t intentionally
creates waste, but instead do the opposite, making products that are easily
recycled like the Hermon miller aeron chair. Where does our e-waste eventually
end up? The video includes an e-waste collection point in Denver, Colorado, run
by Executive Recycling. The route the e-waste took after being collected was
far from the “responsible” “eco-friendly” and “efficient” was the recycler advertised.
The reporters followed the recycling as it was being taken away. It ended up
being loaded into a container that was then shipped to Guiyu, China. Once it
reached china, it was being illegally disposed of! Men Women and children lived
amongst the piled trash, burning it, crushing it, and dumping it throughout china.
The environmental effects of this type
of “recycling” is unimaginable. Guiyu,
China had been exposed to unimaginable toxins by doing this. They had high
rates of cancer, birth defects, and death. After this 60 Minutes special aired,
there was an investigation started concerning the US recycling company. The
result was that the Executive Recycling Company Owner And Executives Sentenced
For Fraud And International Environmental Crimes. This video focused on the
multi headed beast of the recycling problem. We have a problem in developed
nations of consuming products that are quickly discarded. There is a problem of
designer, engineers, and business men trying to create products with little
regard for what happens to their product after they sell it. We have a problem
of recyclers in the US thinking that they can cut corners to meet their bottom
line. There are nations and businesses in other nations willing to pollute
their own land and kill their own people to make a quick buck that will end up
costing them far more than money. This vicious cycle is going to have to end,
and we all have a responsibility to make sure that It does. I am left with many
questions after the video: how many other recyclers in the US are corrupt? Is
my local recycler responsible in their practices? How can I make sure my products are
actually being recycled? What can I do to fix the problem as an industrial
designer?
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