The disposal of used computer equipment and cell phones is a burgeoning problem in the United States and is likely to get front and center attention as "green" thinking becomes more mainstream.
By Mary E. Shacklett
Published: May, 2007
Just what does one do with an old PC? Many of us simply throw it away, and it ends up in a landfill. Others try to sell it or give it away. In still other cases, municipalities and technology companies have programs that take the PCs off your hands for free or for fee. Sometimes these old PCs are refurbished and resold. They may even stick with the household, assuming a lesser role like a network server, until they finally exhaust themselves at the end of the technology cycle.
Eventually, all PCs become environmental hazards. An older model CRT can contain up to four pounds of lead. The PC as a whole contains significant levels of beryllium, barium, chromium, cadmium, lead and mercury. These elements poison the soil and water around landfill areas.
It is small wonder that many localities ban dumping and pay other areas to take the technology trash. Recyclers take the trash to countries like India, China and Pakistan, which is cheaper than harvesting out components for reuse. Sadly, the toxic soil and water levels that technology waste creates contributes to high levels of tuberculosis, infant mortality and birth defects.
What to do with an old PC
More companies, governments and individuals are starting to do something about technology trash besides simply dumping it.
Old computers can be given to refurbishment stores for resale or they can be donated to charities to use. The caveat is that the system must be in the three-to-five year age range. After that, there literally is no modern software that will run on it, since software on the average is updated every 12-18 months. Charities are also more reluctant to take an older system since price points on new systems have dropped dramatically over the past few years.
The situation is slightly different for older cell phones, which have proven useful at shelters for victims of domestic abuse. The persons assisted by these agencies are often in need of free telephone access so they can stay in touch with family and friends.
Many municipalities have pick-up days for technology trash. However, they frequently contract with recyclers, which in turn can dump the trash in Third World countries.
Another option is to seek out a recycler that specializes in electronics recycling, where materials are sorted, separated and melted down and then built into new products. There is usually a charge if you choose to recycle this way, but it is a socially responsible alternative for getting rid of your old PC.
Contact the company from which it was purchased
PC sellers like IBM, HP and Dell all have recycling programs for old PCs. For example, if a PC is marketable in the sense that it can be resold, IBM will furnish quotes based on the information that you supply it about your PC, and it will buy the PC back through its Asset Recovery Solutions program if the PC meets qualifications. For PCs that are not marketable, IBM, Dell and HP offer recycling for a small fee. These companies also sponsor recycling events, such as the Earth Day event in Washington D.C, last month, where Dell offered free recycling to anyone who brought used computer equipment.
Bay Area Tech Recycling Centers
There are a number of recycling options for old PCs in the Bay Area. Here are a few. Many can be found by searching the Internet for electronic recycling, your city.
• Free e-waste recycling in Vallejo, M-F, 10AM-2PM, 734 Lincoln Rd., East.
• Computer Recycling Center accepts old PCs in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Oakland Technology Exchange-West accepts working computer equipment and donates it to Oakland Unified School District classrooms.
Mary E. Shacklett
