E-wasteland
Computer recycling in India
by Sophie Gerrard
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About the Book
“It is vital that we prevent India from becoming the e-waste dustbin for the West”
Vinuta Gopal, Greenpeace India
20 – 50 million tons of electronic waste, known as “e-waste” is generated annually worldwide. In Europe and the US, an old computer is thrown away, on average, every 2 years. In the US for every new computer bought, an old one is thrown away.
Each year, thousands of tons of old computers, mobile phones, batteries, cables, old cameras and other e-waste are dumped in landfill or burned. Thousands more are shipped, illegally, from Europe, the UK and the USA to India and other developing countries for ‘recycling’. Some is sent as scrap, some as charity donations.
India has become one of the world’s largest dumping grounds for e--waste. E-waste is highly toxic. It contains lead, cadmium, mercury, tin, gold, copper, PVC and brominated, chlorinated and phosphorus based flame retardants. Many of these heavy metals and contaminants are extremely harmful to humans as well as to animals and plants.
The Basel Convention, of which the UK and India are signatories, bans the transportation of hazardous or toxic waste from the developed world to developing countries.
This illegal toxic trade is, therefore, in direct violation.
Features & Details
- Primary Category: Arts & Photography Books
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Project Option: Standard Landscape, 10×8 in, 25×20 cm
# of Pages: 68 - Publish Date: Apr 22, 2011
- Keywords Computer recycling, Jerwood Award, Magenta Award, The Photographers' Gallery, Sir Elton John Collection, Flowers East Gallery, Photography, Documentary, India, E-waste
About the Creator
Sophie Gerrard is an award winning Scottish documentary photographer who has spent a great deal of time working and photographing in India. Currently based in the UK, her social and environmental photographic features have been published by The Telegraph Saturday Magazine, Guardian Weekend Magazine, The Independent on Sunday Review, Foto8, Portfolio Magazine, Geographical Magazine, The Scotland on Sunday Spectrum Magazine and Greenpeace International. Sophie's work has received a number of awards including a Jerwood Photography Award and Magenta Award for emerging UK photographers. She has been exhibited internationally, has work included in a number of private collections including the Sir Elton John Collection, and is currently represented by The Photographers' Gallery, London.