|
|
Newsletter
Subscribe to our newsletter!
|
Home
| |
| About |
 ERNASIA (Environmental Research Network Asia) is an independent, multi-disciplinary research network that provides an international forum for academic cooperation, exchange and debate on environmental problems in Asia. These debates are an opportunity to express yourself and present your ideas and warnings to the world, however, if you cannot cover the issue correctly, ask to write my discussion post for me and introduce the audience to the concept. On this website we provide information on news, projects, conferences, publications and institutions researching the environment in Asia. We hope that ernasia.org will become a central source of information for researchers, professionals, teachers and students, encouraging further debate and scholarship. To keep up to date with news and events subscribe to the ERNASIA newsletter and mailing list. Remember, a network is only as strong as its actors, so to ensure ernasia.org becomes a ‘living’ node for contact, information and exchange we need your ideas, contributions and feedback. Have a look at the website, think about what improvements can be made, then contact us at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
|
|
|
| |
| Recycling That Harms the Environment and People |
|
|
|
| By HENRY FOUNTAIN. Recycling is supposed to be good for the environment. But if its not carried out properly, certain kinds of recycling notably the dismantling of electronic circuit boards, which contain lead, zinc, copper and other metals can cause environmental harm. It can also be dangerous to human health, as a new study of electronics recycling in China shows. Anna O. W. Leung and Ming H. Wong of Hong Kong Baptist University and colleagues went to the town of Guiyu in southeastern China, home to a cottage industry of family-run recycling workshops. These are typically set up inside homes, where family members melt the tin-lead solder on the boards to remove chips and other components for sale, with only small household fans for ventilation. The researchers collected surface dust samples in and around these workshops, at local markets and schools and in other nearby residential areas. As reported in Environmental Science and Technology, they found extremely elevated levels of lead, zinc and other metals in the workshops. Lead levels, for example, were up to 2,400 times commonly accepted optimum levels. The contamination extended beyond the workshops into adjacent streets. Lead levels were still high, although about one-fifth the levels inside the homes. But even neighborhood schoolyards and markets were affected, suggesting that people spread contaminated dust as they walk around. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/science/earth/15obrecy.html?_r=1&ex=1366171200&en=0b372a3e1f4deec1&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin |
|
|
|
|
|