The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that staff and inmates at Ohio’s Elkton Federal Correctional Institution had no protection from exposure to high levels of lead and cadmium from a computer recycling program in the prison.
The findings are dated November 2007, but the plant was not shut down until June.
The prison had no provisions to minimize exposures and conducted no medical monitoring of inmates or staff. Toxic dust is still said to be migrating out of the factory and into inmate housing and staff vehicles.
“Prison industry managers have exhibited what can only be called callous indifference to the health of their own staff, their families and the inmates within their charge,” said Jeff Ruch of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility. (Common Dreams, July 28)
Inmates in work programs labor for public and private enterprises often for only a few cents an hour and under unsafe work conditions.
