Toxic Dust from Your Computer

Fresh from a report by Hannibal of Arstechnica:
According to several environmental groups, "toxic dust" that are emitted by processors and monitors contain chemicals that may be linked to reproductive and neuroligal problems. The chemical identified are commonly used in electronic equipments as flame retardants

Researchers collected samples of dust from dozens of computers in eight states, including university computer labs in New York, Michigan and Texas, legislative offices in California, and an interactive computer display at a children's museum in Maine. They tested for three types of brominated flame retardants suspected to be hazardous.

One important part in the article pointed in Arstechnica:

Scientists have not directly correlated exposure to PBDEs with specific diseases or developmental impairment, although researchers are studying possible links between brominated flame retardants and autism.

Hannibal's comment about the possible link between this "toxic dust" and autism is even more interesting:

...This statement really jumped out at me, because it might make for a good explanation of the otherwise mysterious and anamolously high rate of autism in... you guessed it, Silicon Valley. Even if it's not the cause, it could very well be a contributing factor.

Links:
The news article is here
The Arstechnica report
The article about autism in Silcon Valley

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