Computer Equipment Disposal - Recycle, Donate Or Do Nothing?

For the last couple of decades, the rapidComputer equipment that isn't taken care of by
advances in computing technology have given risean authorized computer recycler is most likely to
to a corresponding problem of computersend up in landfills and become toxic computer
becoming quickly obsolete. These days, anywaste. A computer is made up of plastic, ferrous
computer that is more than 3 years old will bemetals, non-ferrous metals (lead, cadmium,
noticeably slower in its performance than aantimony, beryllium, chromium and mercury),
computer that has been manufactured in the lastelectronic boards (gold, palladium, silver and
few months. It has therefore become a fact ofplatinum) and glass - in short, materials (many of
life in the information age that computers need towhich are toxic) which don't break down naturally.
be updated on a regular basis in order to utilizeA standard sized cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor
the latest software and communicationscontains more than two kilos of lead - the toxicity
applications. This in turn has led to the problem ofof which has been well known for centuries.
what one should do with the rapidly growingThe best option when dealing with old computer
stockpile of old computers and other electronicequipment is to either donate it (computer
equipment. A company or individual really has onehardware less than 5 years old can generally be
of 3 choices: 1. Do nothing; 2 Donate or; 3.donated) or to recycle it.
Recycle. This article will discuss each of theIndividuals who are looking to recycle one or a
options in turn.few items of computer hardware will find that
Before looking closely at the issue of computernearly all of the major computer manufacturers -
equipment recycling, it is worthwhile noting why itApple, Dell, Gateway, IBM, Lexmark, Hewlett
so important to do something rather than nothing.Packard, Epson, NEC - are running some type of
Latest studies on the subject have concluded thatcomputer recycling program. These programs
only around 10-15% of old computer equipment istend to involve the company taking back your old
being recycled. The equipment that isn't beingcomputer and disposing of it responsibly, at no
recycled is either being stored, gathering dust onextra cost to yourself, whenever you purchase a
the tops of cupboards or in garages, or evennew computer from them.
more perniciously is being disposed of in landfills.For companies who are looking to dispose of large
Companies that are storing old computingvolumes of computer hardware (and other types
equipment are entertaining a false economy. It isof e-waste) they should really get in contact with
actually more expensive to continue to store oldan authorized computer recycler. The hallmark of
computers than it is to properly dispose of themthe computer recycler's business model is that of
- when you take into account the cost of storageresponsible destruction. They will salvage all useful
space, the cost of securing old systems tocomputer parts before breaking down what's left,
comply with federal privacy laws and othersafely removing all hazardous materials in the
associated administration costs. There are the alsoprocess. There will usually be a fee charged by
environmental concerns attached to the stockpilingthese recyclers to accept old computer
of large quantities of obsolete computers. Theequipment (particularly when it comes to
systems can break down and leak hazardouscomputer monitors) but the cost of disposal will
materials into the air, soil and groundwater shouldbe significantly less than the cost of not disposing
they catch on fire or be subject to other naturalof the computer hardware, both in terms of
disasters such as a floods.direct business costs and potential costs to the
The larger problem however, lies in disposing ofenvironment.
this old computer equipment in a heedless fashion.