Challenging the Chip : Labor Rights and Environmental Justice in the Global Electronics Industry

"Challenging the Chip" is the first comprehensive examination of the impacts of electronics manufacturing on workers and local environments around the world. The essays in this volume contribute to a collaborative international discourse of citizens, workers, health professionals, academics, labour leaders, environmental activists, and others with the common goal of developing alternative visions for the regulation and sustainable development of manufacturing, assembly/disassembly, and waste disposal in the global electronics industry. Contributors from Asia, North America, Europe, and Latin America provide multidimensional perspectives on the science and the politics of environmental and social justice, documenting the efforts of community and labour activists, government agencies, and others in introducing more sustainable systems of production to one of the world's largest manufacturing industries. Annotation From Silicon Valley In California To Silicon Glen In Scotland, From Silicon Island In Taiwan To Silicon Paddy In China, The Social, Economic, And Ecological Effects Of The International Electronics Industry Are Widespread. The Production Of Electronic And Computer Components Contaminates Air, Land, And Water Around The Globe. As This Eye-opening Book Reveals, The People Who Suffer The Consequences Are Largely Poor, Female, Immigrant, And Minority. Challenging The Chip Is The First Comprehensive Examination Of The Impacts Of Electronics Manufacturing On Workers And Local Environments Across The Planet. Contributors To This Pioneering Volume Include Many Of The World's Most Articulate, Passionate And Progressive Visionaries, Scholars And Advocates. Here They Not Only Document The Unsustainable And Often Devastating Practices Of The Global Electronics Industry But Also Chronicle Creative Ways In Which Activists, Government Agencies, And Others Have Attempted To Reform The Industry?through Resistance, Persuasion, And Regulation. Annotation This Is An Excellent Book. It Is Rare To See Environment And Labor Issues Brought Together In A Seamless Fashion. Although I Have Heard About Problems In The Microelectronics Industry Before, Nowhere Have I Seen Such Interesting Reporting On The Problems. This Is An Important Contribution To The Discussion Of Globalization And Its Effects?and To The Understanding Of The Grassroots Movements That Have Emerged In Response.?charles Levenstein, University Of Massachusetts, Lowell (emeritus)this Book Is Pathbreaking And Stunningly Global In Its Presentation Of Cases From Four Continents. It Is Unique In Mixing Activist And Worker Voices With Academic Framework And Literature Perspectives. It Unquestionably Stands Alone In Providing So Many Angles And Cases. These Are 25 Fascinating Pieces.?timmons Roberts, The College Of William And Mary. The Quest For Sustainability And Justice In A High-tech World / Ted Smith, David A. Sonnenfeld, And David N. Pellow -- The Changing Map Of Global Electronics: Networks Of Mass Production In The New Economy / Boy Lüthje -- Occupational Health In The Semiconductor Industry / Joseph Ladou -- Double Jeaopardy: Gender And Migration In Electronics Manufacturing / Anibel Ferus-comelo -- Made In China: Electronics Workers In The World's Fastest Growing Economy / Apo Leong And Sanjiv Pandita -- Corporate Social Responsibility In Thailand's Electronics Industry / Tira Foran And David A. Sonnenfeld -- Electronics Workers In India / Sanjiv Pandita -- Out Of The Shadows And Into The Gloom? Worker And Community Health In And Around Central And Eastern Europe's Semiconductor Plants / Andrew Watterson --^ From Grassroots To Global: The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition's Milestones In Building A Movement For Corporate Accountability And Sustainability In The High-tech Industry / Leslie A. Byster And Ted Smith -- The Struggle For Occupational Health In Silicon Valley: A Conversation With Amanda Hawes / Amanda Hawes With David N. Pellow -- Immigrant Workers In Two Eras: Struggles And Successes In Silicon Valley / David N. Pellow And Glenna Matthews -- Worker Health At National Semiconductors, Greenock (scotland): Freedom To Kill? / James Mccourt-- Community-based Organizing For Labor Rights, Health, And The Environment: Television Manufacturing On The Mexico-u.s. Border / Connie García And Amelia Simpson -- Labor Rights And Occupational Health In Jalisco's Electronics Industry (mexico) -- Raquel E. Partida Rocha -- Breaking The Silicon Silence: Voicing Health And Environmental Impacts Within Taiwan's Hsinchu Science Park / Shenglin Chang, Hua-mei Chiu, And Wen-ling Tu --^ Human Lives Valued Less Than Dirt: Former Rca Workers Contaminated By Pollution Fighting Worldwide For Justice (taiwan) / Yu-ling Ku -- Unionizing Electronics: The Need For New Strategies / Robert Steiert -- The Electronics Production Life Cycle. From Toxics To Sustainability: Getting Off The Toxic Treadmill / Leslie A. Byster And Ted Smith -- High-tech Pollution In Japan: Growing Problems, Alternative Solutions / Fumikazu Yoshida -- High-tech's Dirty Little Secret: The Economics And Ethics Of The Electronic Waste Trade / Jim Puckett -- Hi-tech Heaps, Forsaken Lives: E-waste In Delhi / Ravi Agarwal And Kishore Wankhade -- Importing Extended Producer Responsibility For Electronic Equipment Into The United States / Chad Raphael And Ted Smith -- International Environmental Agreements And The Information Technology Industry / Ken Geiser And Joel Tickner --^ Design Change In Electrical And Electronic Equipment: Impacts Of The Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation In Sweden And Japan / Naoko Tojo -- Toxicdude.com: The Dell Campaign / David Wood And Robin Schneider -- Appendixes -- A. Principles Of Environmental Justice -- B. The Silicon Principles Of Socially And Environmentally Responsible Electronics Manufacturing -- C. Sample Shareholder Resolutions -- D. Computer Takeback Campaign Statement Of Principles -- E. Electronics Recycler's Pledge Of True Stewardship. Edited By Ted Smith, David A. Sonnenfeld, And David Naguib Pellow ; With Leslie A. Byster ... [et Al.] ; Foreword By Jim Hightower. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [315]-336) And Index. 1592133290......Page 1 Contents......Page 6 Foreword: Technology Happens......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 14 1 The Quest for Sustainability and Justice in a High-Tech World......Page 16 I. GLOBAL ELECTRONICS......Page 28 2 The Changing Map of Global Electronics: Networks of Mass Production in the New Economy......Page 32 3 Occupational Health in the Semiconductor Industry......Page 46 4 Double Jeopardy: Gender and Migration in Electronics Manufacturing......Page 58 5 “Made in China”: Electronics Workers in the World’s Fastest Growing Economy......Page 70 6 Corporate Social Responsibility in Thailand’s Electronics Industry......Page 85 7 Electronics Workers in India......Page 98 8 Out of the Shadows and into the Gloom? Worker and Community Health in and around Central and Eastern Europe’s Semiconductor Plants......Page 111 II. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND LABOR RIGHTS......Page 122 9 From Grassroots to Global: The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s Milestones in Building a Movement for Corporate Accountability and Sustainability in the High-Tech Industry......Page 126 10 The Struggle for Occupational Health in Silicon Valley: A Conversation with Amanda Hawes......Page 135 11 Immigrant Workers in Two Eras: Struggles and Successes in Silicon Valley......Page 144 12 Worker Health at National Semiconductor, Greenock (Scotland): Freedom to Kill?......Page 154 13 Community-Based Organizing for Labor Rights, Health, and the Environment: Television Manufacturing on the Mexico-U.S. Border......Page 165 14 Labor Rights and Occupational Health in Jalisco’s Electronics Industry (Mexico)......Page 176 15 Breaking the Silicon Silence: Voicing Health and Environmental Impacts within Taiwan’s Hsinchu Science Park......Page 185 16 Human Lives Valued Less Than Dirt: Former RCA Workers Contaminated by Pollution Fighting Worldwide for Justice (Taiwan)......Page 196 17 Unionizing Electronics: The Need for New Strategies......Page 206 III. ELECTRONIC WASTE AND EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY......Page 216 18 The Electronics Production Life Cycle: From Toxics to Sustainability: Getting Off the Toxic Treadmill......Page 220 19 High-Tech Pollution in Japan: Growing Problems, Alternative Solutions......Page 230 20 High-Tech’s Dirty Little Secret: The Economics and Ethics of the Electronic Waste Trade......Page 240 21 Hi-Tech Heaps, Forsaken Lives: E-Waste in Delhi......Page 249 22 Importing Extended Producer Responsibility for Electronic Equipment into the United States......Page 262 23 International Environmental Agreements and the Information Technology Industry......Page 275 24 Design Change in Electrical and Electronic Equipment: Impacts of Extended Producer Responsibility Legislation in Sweden and Japan......Page 288 25 ToxicDude.com: The Dell Campaign......Page 300 Appendix A: Principles of Environmental Justice......Page 314 Appendix B: The Silicon Principles of Socially and Environmentally Responsible Electronics Manufacturing......Page 316 Appendix C: Sample Shareholder Resolutions......Page 318 Appendix D: Computer TakeBack Campaign Statement of Principles......Page 321 Appendix E: Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship......Page 323 Acronyms Used......Page 326 References......Page 330 Resources......Page 352 Contributors......Page 354 Index......Page 358 Examines the impacts of electronics manufacturing on workers and local environments around the world. This book provides multidimensional perspectives on the science and the politics of environmental and social justice, documenting the efforts of community and labour activists, government agencies, and others.