Premier Farnell is spearheading a campaign to tackle the dangers of unregulated e-waste recycling in developing countries.
Announcing the initiative, Harriet Green (pictured), Chief Executive Officer of Premier Farnell pledged to work with the distributor's suppliers and customers to highlight the problem.
"China and India have become a dumping ground for waste products," said Green. "The parts are chipped off boards manually or boards are melted or put in acid baths which releases lethal gases such as arsenic, chromium and mercury into the atmosphere. Tests on children in Bangalore, a black spot for such activity, showed children there had a higher lead count in their blood.
The company will channel investment through the Premier Farnell Trust Initiative to support educational programmes to children in India regarding the health risks associated with unregulated electronic waste recycling.
"We will be raising awareness fof the problem with all our suppliers," Green continued, "and lobbying local governments for action to introduce protective legislation."
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