The history of e-scrap and electronics recycling

Hey y'all. Does anyone have any good leads on where to find a written history of the the e-scrap/electronics recycling industry? An online resource would be ideal. I'm working on a research project.

Thanks for your help!



-Rico

Don't have any good leads but i think it's been around for awhile.

Back in the late 60's, i was friendly with the gent that ran the neighborhood television and radio repair shop.

There was the whole flower power, hippie, drug counter culture thing going on. His son was into it for awhile, had dropped too much acid, and suffered from pretty bad mental illness. There wasn't much he could do in the way of holding a job. His father put him to work in the shop cutting the transistors & whatever else off the waste electronics boards with a pair of wire cutters. It was something simple that helped to keep his mind occupied while he was making a few bucks with scrapping.

If you're digging for info on e-waste recycling efforts i would go back at least as far as the mid - late 1960's.

Thanks for all the info and links, y'all!

Originally Posted by mikeinreco

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_waste

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_recycling

So in 2 minutes you were able to provide him with enough info so he can do his project. Google is an awesome tool, but I wonder if he will ever be back.