Study: Computer 'toxic dust' linked to diseases

[InlineFive]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (AP) -- "Toxic dust" found on computer processors and monitors contains chemicals linked to reproductive and neurological disorders, according to a new study by several environmental groups.

Link to CNN

 

[IHYLN]

use LCD's?

 

[Acanthus]

Conclusion: do not lick your monitor or cpu.

 

[high]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
Conclusion: do not lick your monitor or cpu.

or snort lines off your pc parts

 

[mobobuff]

*Takes an old Pentium III he was chewing on out of his mouth* Aw crap! *spit*

 

[tweeve2002]

so that explains why school has been getting so hard, Brain damage?

 

[Jeff7]

I can see it now:
"But they called them 'chips', so I thought they were edible! I'm suing!"

Originally posted by: tweeve2002
so that explains why school has been getting so hard, Brain damage?

Could that, perhaps, be due to your sig?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Does this mean, that making jewelry/keyrings out of old computer parts is bad? I wonder if retail stores that sell SIMM keyrings will pull them off of the shelves because of this.

Seriously though, this news is rather troubling. The summary appears to be that a group of chemicals, that are akin to PCBs, are used to make the plastic used in computer cases and devices, flame-retardant. The chemicals were known to be toxic, but claimed by the mfg to not be able to escape from the plastic into which they were embedded. Clearly, if anyone has ever smelled the outgassing of plastics when new, this is not true. Traces of these toxic chemicals were found in dust samples taken from the surface of these devices.

It's also well-known, that computers and related devices, should not be thrown into public landfills, as they will leach out a myriad of toxic substances over the years. Most are sent to China, to be dumped into remote villages, including computers sent to PC "recycling" centers here in the US.

Personally, my room is practically a computer junkyard. I wonder how much of this sort of thing that I've been exposed to over the years. Granted, I'm sure that I've actually been directly exposed to a lot worse, so this is probably only of minor concern to me. I guess one moral of the story should be, don't breath in any of those dust-bunnies that you clean out of your computer, they could be toxic.

 

[SneakyStuff]

Well, that answers the age-old question folks, you CAN'T eat processors after you upgrade, i'm sorry, I know you had your hopes set on that, but we'll just have to find another way... somehow.. someway Interesting read tho, thanks, I know not to eat my CPU now?

 

[Schadenfroh]

"Toxic dust" found on computer processors and monitors contains chemicals linked to reproductive and neurological disorders

does that mean its not my fault that i cant get laid?

 

[SneakyStuff]

haha excuses excuses

 

[futuristicmonkey]

"Toxic dust" found on computer processors ?

wtf? no HSF's? maybe cuz the toxic dust stuff was cooked too hot it started to become toxic?


lol

 

[sharkeeper]

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOS!

Cheers!

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: shuttleteam
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOS!

Cheers!

sorry, your son shall not bear forth thy seed

 

[FiberoN]

rofl, looks like brain damage for me too :|

 

[KillaKilla]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: shuttleteam
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOS!

Cheers!

sorry, your son shall not bear forth thy seed

that wasnt his kid... it was HIM! (menacing music)!

 

[Ages120]

Yeah theres toxic chemicals in there. So what theres almost always been toxic chemicals in pcs even without the dust. People who worked on the old room sized computers are probably the ones really screwed by this news. Anyways moral of all these stories is that if you've lived in an American home for more then a year you're gonna have brain damage, get cancer, or shoot blanks but hey its not your fault. Good thing PC's do most of the hard stuff like math, because were making ourselves stupider by the day.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: IHYLN
use LCD's?

Ditto!

 

[EeyoreX]

Ah. California.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and several other organizations have confirmed that PCBs damage brains of human fetuses.

Pregnant mothers should certainly stay away from eating things from inside your computer. Damaging the brain of a fetus, doesn't necessarily amount to damaging my brain.

Scientists have not directly correlated exposure to PBDEs with specific diseases or developmental impairment. Researchers at University of California, Davis, and elsewhere are studying possible links between brominated flame retardants and autism, but results are years away.

They admit there are no links confirmed yet, why should I be troubled over a possability? There is a possability I'll be hit by a bus tomorrow. It probably doesn't matter in the long run anyhow. Everything will kill you somehow, so I don't see the problem. I bet that most of the people that will complain about these "Death Dusts" are the same ones that smoke and everyone knows cigarettes don't kill. :roll:

\Dan