Morality of Recycling

Richard Deight thinks recycling is not a moral obligation for Americans (letter, July 3). I could not disagree more. As we Americans throw away obsolete computers, TVs and other electronic appliances we are pouring tons of toxic electronic waste into landfills and/or exporting it to developing countries where workers earn $1.50 per day for dismantling and processing the materials--with no environmental safeguards.

Consumer electronics already constitute 40% to 70% of heavy metals, including mercury and cadmium, found in landfills, putting ground water at risk of toxic pollution. We do have a moral obligation to recycle.

Jean Holt Koch

Los Angeles