Activists say Dell recycling event exploits prison labor : Houston Indymedia

Federal Prison Industries, also known by the trade name UNICOR employs inmates to turn obsolete machines back into raw materials.

Texas Campaign for the Environment’s Robin Schneider said inmates were being exposed to carcinogens without the benefit of the same environmental protections as their free-market counter parts.

"At a state-of-the art facility laborers are unionized so they have the ability to complain about their conditions and participate on committees that have input on health and safety policies."

Schneider said inmates who complained often faced retaliation and no input on their conditions.

UNICOR spokesman Larry Novicky denied the charge. He said the company meets or exceeds all environmental and safety standards. In fact, neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has yet developed guidelines for electronic waste recycling.

Dell spokesperson Michele Glaze defended UNICOR’s practices calling them the industry leader in responsible recycling. Inmates are required to wear protective clothing when handling certain kinds of e-waste.

But environmentalists claims are not entirely unfounded when it comes to electronic recycling at federal prisons in Texas. An investigator with the regional office of OSHA, said UNICOR has been issued citations for inadequate environmental protections.

Still, Dell intends to stand behind UNICOR and continue to use the company for its year-round recycling efforts.

"It’s too bad that a special interest group is choosing to focus on the labor issue," she said. "Our focus is the environment."

Schneider also complained ultra-cheap prison labor undercuts recycling industry infrastructure, making it difficult for free-market companies to compete.

UNICOR’s Larry Novicky argued his employees, the federal inmates, were primarily low income people of color.

Saturday's event was cosponsored by Keep Houston Beautiful, a city-funded non-profit that provided volunteers and publicity for Dell. Events coordinator Michael Cowin said the city was not aware of the labor issues at play until contacted by the CEC. He said the revelation would not change KHB’s support for the event.

"Throwing the baby out with the bath water is just not sensible," he said. "Recycling is a good thing no matter what the circumstance surrounding it."

Texas Campaign for the Environment, an Austin-based group and Houston Clean Water Action sent protesters dressed in prison uniforms to Saturday's event. Their aim was to inform people who want to discard their old computers with a clear conscience.