10/27/2010 // WPB, FL, USA // Personal Injury Lawyers News // Nicole Howley
Washington, D.C.– A report from the Office of the Inspector General revealed inmates and employees at 10 federal prisons were exposed to toxic metals and other hazardous materials while processing electronic waste for recycling, as reported by The New York Times.
According to the report, which was issued last week, they found despite the hazards, they could not link any health problems to the recycling work in prisons. But, they did not rule out the possibility of adverse health effects in the future.
Unspecified amounts of electronic waste were reportedly shipped overseas, likely to undeveloped countries. This electronic dumping has gained notoriety, as it is highly dangerous to local populations, as the waste leaches into groundwater and attracts scavengers who are then exposed to the toxic elements.
Unicor, a unit of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, oversees the recycling program. Since 1997, Unicor has taken contracts for recycling computer monitors, televisions, printers and other electronic waste. About 1,000 workers at seven prisons have processed 39 million pounds of electronic waste, as of 2009. While many prisons have stopped recycling electronic waste, federal prisons in Fort Dix, N.J.; Marianna, Fla.; Texarkana, Tex.; Atwater, Calif.; Leavenworth, Kan.; Lewisburg, Pa.; and Tucson are still recycling the hazardous materials.
The inquiry did find evidence of wrongdoing on the prison’s part, like exposing prisoners to lead and cadmium.
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