The Green Geek

Computer Recycling Made Easy

E-Waste, the term given to cast off broken or obsolete electronics equipment, is becoming a major problem for landfills due to the toxic materials found in most electronics. In a move that is very socially conscious and forward thinking, Dell recently announced that they would offer free recycling of any of their computers even if the owner wasn’t buying a new Dell. Previously customers needed to be purchasing a new Dell to qualify for the recycling service. With the new system, a user simply needs to go to the Dell website to print out a mailing label, then contact the company’s recycling office to schedule a local pickup. Several other companies have also introduced computer recycling programs, and 3rd party electronics recyclers are also becoming more common.

Up to 70% of all the heavy metals in landfills come from discarded elecrtronics devices. Computers contain a shocking amount of toxic materials, including Lead, Arsenic, Selenium, Polybrominated flame retardants, Antimony trioxide, Cadmium, Cobalt and Mercury. Over 30 million PCs are thrown away each year in the USA alone. Dell has already made steps to remove many heavy metals from their new lineup of machines, they have also committed to eliminating the use of all brominated flame retardants and PVC in all products by 2009.
Computer recycling by the manufacturer is an excellent incentive to produce machines with less toxic chemicals. Not only does it simplify the recycling process by eliminating certain chemical hazards, customers are willing to pay more for less toxic PCs as well. Writer Paul Hawken has proposed a “service-based economy”, where rather than customers buying items, they would buy the service provided by whatever the item is. With this system a customer would pay a monthly fee for a certain level of computer performance or functionality, and a machine would be provided by their service provider. When the machine needed to be upgraded, the customer would receive a new model and the old model would be returned for recycling. If energy usage was factored into this monthly cost as well, it would result in PC manufacturers making very energy efficient, non-toxic and easily recyclable computers.

In the meantime however, it is up to customers to recycle their own computers, either with Dell’s recycling program (if you have a Dell), with Hewlett-Packard’s program (They will recycle any PC for a $30 fee), or via a local computer recycling business. Search google for recycling businesses in your area, or check the Yellow Pages. I recently found out there is a recycling business very close to where I live in Toronto, called Computation.