The growth of technology is generally exaggerated so much so that as soon as a product hits the market, it becomes obsolete. While this may not be true, it illustrates how quickly technology advances into newer things. The question then becomes: what happens to obsolete technology? Often in the United States, people simply dispose of their old personal computers, cell phones, or other electronic products with their regular waste and then take them to the local landfill. This electronic waste, or “e-waste,” can often be recycled. In developing countries, this e-waste is collected and then harvested into valuable materials, including metals. It is expected that within the next ten years the amount of materials going to these countries will increase at least fivefold. The process of collecting these materials varies from area to area, but is often somewhat dangerous. Although cost effective, it can reduce quality of life through exposure to toxins. This exposure may result 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. Within this approach, the dilemma can be tested using the rights test. First, the rights involved are the workers' right to life and physical integrity. This is a first level right, according to the Gerwith scale. However, the other rights involved in this case include the right to work for profit and the right to achieve a purpose, which are second-level rights. These are involved because workers use the money 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 towards 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 introducing products that contain fewer and fewer of these hazardous materials, including lead-free solders and mercury replacement fluids. Lead use has declined since the advent of flat-panel and liquid-crystal monitors (LCDs), although it has not yet been eradicated by technology. As a society of engineers, our primary duty is to promote the health of the general public, as per the first canon of the NSPE code. By educating companies to reduce the risks associated with their products and designing products that are easier and safer to recycle, engineers can help meet this first standard by making the jobs of third world workers safer..