The growth of technology is usually exaggerated: as soon as a product hits the market, it becomes obsolete. While this may not be factually true, it illustrates how quickly technology evolves into newer things. The question then becomes: what happens to obsolete technology? In the United States, individuals often throw away their old personal computers, cell phones, or other electronic products with their regular trash and transport them to the local landfill. This electronic waste, or “e-waste,” can often be recycled. In developing countries, this electronic waste is collected and then repurposed into valuable materials, including metals. It is expected that over the next ten years, the amount of materials destined for these countries will increase at least fivefold. The process of harvesting these materials varies from region to region, but is often dangerous in one way or another. Although economically beneficial, it can decrease quality of life due to exposure to toxins. This exposure can come from water contamination, air pollution, or physical handling of materials. One method to analyze the problem at hand is to use the respect for persons approach. Under this approach, the dilemma can be tested using the rights test. First, the rights concerned are workers' rights to life and physical integrity. This is a first-level right, according to the Gerwith scale. However, other rights involved in this case include the right to work for profit and the right to achieve a goal, which are second-tier rights. These are involved because workers use the money they earn from recycling waste to support their lives and families. The action in question here is whether e-waste recycling should be continued...... middle of paper ......the ring community can work toward a new design goal, that of making products easier to recycle and increase sustainability. Currently, part of this ideal is underway. Many companies are now releasing products that contain fewer and fewer of these hazardous materials, including lead-free solder and fluids that replace mercury. Lead use has declined since the advent of flat panel and liquid crystal (LCD) monitors, although it has not yet been eradicated from technology. As a society of engineers, our primary duty is to promote the health of the general public, from the first canon of the NSPE code. By asking companies to reduce hazards in their products and designing products that are easier and safer to recycle, engineers can help fill this first canon by making the job of a third-world worker safer...