Where did the slick smartphone you got for the holidays come from? You might imagine a remote futuristic industrial park, with robotic assembly lines whirring in ultra-efficient silence. But the workers assembling your phone are actually real people, and the conditions in which they work are far from humane.
Reports that a defunct computer screen dropped at Officeworks for recycling was shipped to a junkyard in Thailand have renewed calls for Australia to get serious about e-waste controls.
Authorities in Thailand say their country is becoming the new dumping ground for the world's illegal electronic waste.
"It could be the cause of different kinds of cancer diseases. And a in situation like this, the chemical smell could cause damage to the respiratory systems of the people," said Penchom Saetang, Director of EARTH.
Environmentalist group Ecowaste Coalition has launched a program called e-Waste to promote safety management and proper disposal or recycling of waste electrical material and electronic equipment.
In its 5th General Assembly on June 28, 2018, EcoWaste Coalition adopted a resolution expressing solidarity with Samsung workers' struggle for justice.
Resolution Expressing Solidarity with Samsung Workers’ Struggle for Justice
Whereas there is a growing international concern over the working conditions of workers in the electronics industry, particularly among workers in the factories of Samsung Electronics in South Korea and Vietnam;
BANGKOK — Thai authorities, who began a series of raids last month on factories accused of illegally importing and processing electronic waste, say they may use special powers given to the military government to impose a total ban on the import of such potentially toxic materials.
Stories from the Clean Room is a documentary exposing the dirty truths about toxic chemicals and harm to workers in the electronics industry. The film, made by SHARPS in South Korea, highlights the voices of dying electronics workers and exposes the industry’s refusal to identify the toxic chemicals that made them ill. IPEN Participating Organizations in over 20 countries with growing electronics production sectors will screen the film as part of a global campaign to demand toxics-free electronics. See the trailer, find updates about screenings, and take action here.
