'Hi-tech junk can be good business'

'Hi-tech junk can be good business'

State-of-the-art electronic goods, including computers,
television sets, DVD/VCD players and cell phones have become more
affordable, with old models discarded for brand new ones. But,
little thought is given to what happens to high-tech junk --
which may be harmful to humans and the environment -- if it is
not disposed of properly. The Jakarta Post asked some residents
for their opinion on the issue.

Sri Hartati, 35, is a housewife who lives with her husband and
daughter in Tebet, South Jakarta:

I think almost everybody takes their electronic appliances to
the repair shop first, if anything happens to them -- that's what
we usually do.

But, then it depends on the repair cost. If it's too
expensive, you are better off buying a brand new one instead --
then we usually sell it to scavengers or to the repair shop
itself. Sometimes we look around for a trade-in, which is a more
common solution nowadays.

Even if it's repairable, if there are any replaced spare
parts, we usually give them away to scavengers as well.

It's better that way, rather than having a heap of junk you
don't know what to do with lying around the house.

But I don't know what the people who collect the junk do with
it. Maybe they sell it to the flea market, or salvage any parts
that are still usable, or just dump it again somewhere else.

Aditya, 29, is an employee of an engineering consultancy firm
on Jl. Sudirman, Central Jakarta. He lives with his family in
Depok, south of Jakarta:

It really depends on how one views and treats all this so
called "technological junk".

If they have the know-how and like to tinker with hardware,
they can try to repair it, or salvage usable parts -- even if
it's only nuts and bolts -- and use it for other stuff.

An artist, meanwhile, can probably turn the junk into a work
of art.

I like to look around for old computers -- sold or discarded
by their owners because they have upgraded to newer ones -- and
turn them into cheap Linux consoles.

One could even turn what they've done with the junk into a
business. That's what many recycling and refurbished goods
companies actually do.

It's good to know that many producers have started to make
their products as recyclable as possible, although some recycling
techniques are questionable.

To my knowledge, some recycling companies melt down electronic
boards to salvage the precious gold, silver and copper metals,
but simply dump the toxic components into a landfill.

Others export them to developing countries hoping for revenue
-- but make them the junkyards of hazardous material as well.

--The Jakarta Post