From CNN:

"Most Americans think they're helping the earth when they recycle their old computers, televisions and cell phones. But chances are they're contributing to a global trade in electronic trash that endangers workers and pollutes the environment overseas." ...

"The gear most likely to be shipped abroad is collected at free recycling drives, often held each April around Earth Day, recycling industry officials say. The sponsors -- chiefly companies, schools, cities and counties -- often hire the cheapest firms and do not ask enough questions about what becomes of the discarded equipment, the officials say." ...

"Activists complain that most exporters don't test units to make sure they work before sending them overseas. "Reuse is the new excuse. It's the new passport to export," said Puckett of Basel Action Network. "Other countries are facing this glut of exported used equipment under the pretext that it's all going to be reused."

The whole article:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/11/18/electronics.trash.ap/index.html

However, this should not be an excuse to not recycle electronic equipment. But it's good to know that one has to choose the place to recycle carefully.