Posted by axxxr
Just when we were getting used to the idea that our cellphone wasn’t going to kill us (or was it that it is going to kill us?), there’s a new report that says that potentially toxic chemicals called PBDEs are turning up in dust found on computers and other electronics and are known to cause reproductive and neurological problems in lab animals. Which come to think of it, could actually explain a lot of things…
Via:
http://news.com.com/Is+the+du[....]ml?part=rss&tag=feed&subj=news
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[ This Message was edited by: axxxr on 2004-06-04 16:10 ]
Posted by axxxr
Joint research undertaken by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, Computer TakeBack Campaign, and Clean Production Action has found that fire retardant chemicals used in the production of PC components has made its way into surrounding dust. These brominated, flame retardant chemicals are deemed harmful to humans and animals (they are believed to cause reproductive and neurological disorders), and such findings mean that the chance of exposure is much higher. It doesn't matter that the amounts found are small because deca-BDE exposure, as it is known, is bio-accumulative, meaning that it builds up in the body every time you come into contact with it.
The research was done in public buildings across 8 U.S. states, with samples taken at computer labs in universities at New York, Michigan, and Texas, legislative offices in California, and an interactive display in a Maine children's museum. The tests were looking for three flame retardant chemicals, with the largest amount of toxins found on a new flat-screen monitor at the New York labs.
Two of the chemicals in question (penta and octa-brominated diphenyl) have already been banned and will no longer be used in production by the end of this year. The other, deca-brominated diphenyl, is still in use, but is under pressure from environmentalists to be banned as well.
People are being urged not to throw out their computer equipment, wear special apparel, and/or clean their equipment with special fluids because of this news, since there is currently no known way to remove these toxic particles from computer equipment, and Dr. Gina Solomon, senior scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, stated, "The levels in the dust are enough to raise a red flag, but not enough to create a crisis."
Read more at Wired, and view the full report at The Computer TakeBack Campaign website.
http://www.computertakeback.com/the_problem/bfr.cfm
Posted by Payalnik
Dont know about this, but i have just killed one of my PCs, kicked it too hard this time. It doesnt boot but i think it's not for a long time :-)
Posted by bahbahsupercar
we have to die of something, stop worrying and eat fatty foods
Posted by kbloom
lol. well... nothin can draw me away from this thing! Only my Gx30 is an exception
