Oh yeah. The recycling, decontamination and storage of hazardous materials is so expensive, that US companies sell the garbage to chinese pirates.
They then subcontract work to peasants to smash, smelt and extract the valuable metals-gold, copper, silver and aluminum, from electronic devices for like 50 USD per month. While the poisonous, dangerous metals like lead, chromium, zinc, HFCs and mercury seep into their ground, contaminate their land and water or burn into gases and pollute our air.
I can understand the desperate need for the peasants to support themselves, and they probably dont care. my god, the poor people are starving to death!
But Us companies and the chinese believe it is a quick solution to an overall long term problem. and i believe with that attitude it will destroy us all in the long term.
and my point is, the chinese will do just about anything to make a buck or cut a corner. these third world and semi-third world countries exchange principles for a momentary economic booster shot.