Nothing could illustrate more vividly the massive gradient in the value of
labour power in different parts of the world, than the fact that, according
to a Dutch economist on a television programme tonight, rubbish is being
exported from countries like Europe. In countries like China labour power
is so cheap that is is worth workers hand sorting fragmented metal waste
into different types of metal, and used syringes into different coloured
plastic.
Of course we could not have them come over here to squat on our rubbish
dumps because then we would have to give them some sort of social benefits,
at least in terms of current acute health care.
So if we do not want to import human rubbish, we export material rubbish.
It is obscene.
Chris Burford
London.
