Where do old computers go to die? Well, in many cases, China!

Even when we think we're doing a good job at "recycling" old computers and electronics equipment, at least half of that junk ends up on a boat to the Chinese mainland. Here, they are recycled. Sort of. Chinese workers sift through the mountains of equipment, rip out easily recyclable items, and burn the rest. The workers have no protective gear and earn $2 to $4 a day.

Normally I like to write about how technology can help you or offer suggestions on better ways to get things done at work, but today I'm a bit stymied. Recycling is supposed to be good, right? And I'm adamant to colleagues that they shouldn't throw old computers in the trash but should take them to a recycling center for "proper" disposal.

But short of doing a Herculean amount of research (or asking questions which may or may not be honestly answered), you have no way of knowing whether "proper" means recovering all toxic materials in a safe, local environment, or simply packing it all up on a freighter to Shanghai. Now I don't know what to think.

Read the full (and contentious) article at Salon.com, then consider what you do with your old machines. If possible, try to donate equipment to a "reuse" organization. Some organizations use older machines, for example, to train the homeless or at-risk youths for modern employment. This ekes more life out of old machines and, at least for awhile, ensures that the machines don't end up in a landfill or an incinerator. If nothing else, investigate the recycler of your choice on the web to see if you can answer a simple question: What really happens to these computers after you drop them off?

LINK: Where computers go to die -- and kill