Toxic Recycling

Reaction paper:these standards should pay heavy fines.
Toxic recycling:Warfare to welfare:
The article toxic recycling by Elizabeth GrossmanThe article from warfare to welfare by William
highlights the health hazard posed by electronic wasteHartung and Jennifer Washburn discusses Lockheed
in the US and in the world. Electronic waste containsMartin a company that is the largest weapon
mercury, cadmium, lead and barium which cause harmmanufacturer, according to the article the company
to animals, plants and human life. The existence ofstrategy by 2000 is to privatize social welfare by
these heavy metals in electronic waste has resultedforming divisions in the company that will undertake
into the recycling process whereby electronic saleswelfare programs in the US, these programs include
have grown fast in the past and according to 2004the distribution of food stamps and cash assistants.
there were over 400 recycling plants in the US.It is evident that in the year 2000 the
It is evident that given the health hazards andcompany’s stock prices were declining and the
environmental degradation that electronic wastecompany was in a financial crisis given that it had
cause recycling is a good solution to this problem. Asrequested the pentagon to offer an $855 million loan
new electronic products are introduced into theto pay for mergers. According to the report the
market older products are discarded by consumersaverage household pays over $200 per year in tax
resulting into increased electronic waste each year.to Lockheed Martin and privatisation of the public
With this increase in waste each year the recyclingservice sector will increase the tax level and also the
industry is expected to grow and the article highlightsgovernment will no longer offer these services.
this growth by stating that in 2004 the recyclingThe article highlights that Lockheed Martin has in the
firms made over 10 million and employed over 1,000past hired workers who previously held positions as
inmates.pentagon officials, this is a strategy to influence
Recycling however should be undertaken underdecision makers in the awarding of contracts,
proper conditions to avoid the release of heavytherefore it is clear that some of top officials in
metals as dust into the environment, the articlegovernment have a stake in the company and the
highlights that the recycling process undertaken byprivatisation of welfare operations may negatively
UNICOR using inmates as labour is undertaken underaffect the efficiency and effectiveness of services
unhealthy conditions, inmates do not use equipmentsoffered.
that are in line with OSHA standards, also they eatIt is therefore clear that the strategy of this
lunch in areas contaminated with heavy metals. Thecompany is to expand its operations into social
recycling firms therefore do not take intowelfare services. These are services that should be
consideration the health of inmates and prisonoffered by the government and privatisation of such
officers.services will not be as efficient and effective, the
With the recycling industry growing fast laws andreason for this is that the company’s aim is to
regulations should be put in place in order to protectmake profit and not improve the lives of the
the environment and individuals who work in theseindividuals, public goods and services should be
recycling firms, the environmental agencies andprovided by the government and not private firms.
occupational safety and health administration shouldTherefore the company should not be allowed to
inspect the recycling firms regularly to ensure thatoffer public services given that this is the role of the
they follow set standards and those that violategovernment.