The Effects of Exporting Used PCs To Africa

retroworks writes "According to this UK MailOnline story, computers donated to Africa are causing quite a few problems. The BBC does a similar story on the junk computers from rich countries found on the ground in Africa. But all of the footage is of the junk PCs; there is no film of any repaired or good computers. There have been a dozen stories now about the bad apples. It seems like there have to be good ones, too, to cover the costs of shipping. Some of the ones in the Mail story actually look decent. Is there more balanced coverage of used computer exports, many of which provide affordable technology to poor people? Organizations like Greenpeace and Basel Action Network are promoting electronics recyclers with zero-export policies. One organization, the World Reuse Repair and Recycling Association, is promoting a 'Fair Trade Coffee' approach to moderate the number of bad computers exported, and has a video showing both sides of the story. A ban on exports leaves Africa with a choice of spending a year's income on a new PC, buying mixed loads of computers from undercapitalized recyclers, or remaining without this level of technology. And our choice seems to be to donate a decent computer mixed with other people's junk, or to grind it up in a perverse tribute to Vance Packard, as 'obsolescence in hindsight.'"

Re:Good ones don't count

[The Ultimate Fartkno]

What's the problem? If you want to adhere to the Basil conventions, you send fawlty computers. I fail to see the issue here.

more computers in africa == bad

[Clay Pigeon -TPF-VS-]

More computers in Africa means more embattled princes and presidents will have representatives emailing me asking for me to send them money to free up their vast fortunes that they will share with me.

FFS. This is a story in the Mail.

[Anonymous Coward]

They're called the 'Hate Mail' for a reason you know. They're techo-phobes. They peddle hate. It's a wonder the story never mentioned little babies dying from drinking contaminated by the drinkscupholders on the pc.

Re:Good ones don't count

[c6gunner]

Awesome. Tomorrow morning your house will be inundated with 50,000 286's, 15,000 dot matrix printers, 12,000 analog tape drives, and a tractor-trailer full of 5.25" floppies. Good luck, Joe!

Re:Good ones don't count

[Joebert]

Yeah right.
I'd like to believe people would read this & I'd magicly have a truckload of electronics on my doorstep no matter how old they are, but the reality is there wont be even as much as a post card.

Re:Good ones don't count

[Chuck Chunder]

I fail to see the issue here.

Getting a load of fawlty towers with all the manuels missing is a major problem.

Re:Good ones don't count

[Joebert]

Of I see, you just don't want people to quit sending the stuff to you ! :)

Re:News?

[ConceptJunkie]

I can't say how they'll deal with the obesity problem, but there's this new product that's hit the market that will help solve the food problem in the Third World. They say it's based mostly on soybeans and lentils, and can be produced much more efficiently than corn, rice, wheat and just about anything else. I've tried it, and it's not bad: a little bland, but it really fills you up. It must be the protein content. There are a couple versions, which have different flavors and consistency. The red and yellow kinds are OK, but I like the green kind the best.

I'm not a pack rat ...

[Mike610544]

After seeing this story I realize I'm an enlightened environmental hero. That 486DX2 in the corner would be poisoning people if I hadn't though "I might still need it for something!"

Re:meanwhile, back here in the U.S.A.

[Headw1nd]

Wow. Someone's going for gold in petty.

Re:Good ones don't count

[Suchetha]

all well and good.. but remember

whatever you do.. DON'T MENTION THE WAREZ

Re:Good ones don't count

[jadin]

Dude, your mom's going to be pissed when she finds out you slashdotted her driveway.