computer recycling

[oldfart13]

Up where I am, ewaste costs the consumer. I think it's about $17 for a monitor these days. More for computers. The company that is handling it says they would like to offer the service free to individuals as it is in many other areas of the country but can't at this time (read: "and probably never will be able to"). So, no one here can take ewaste to the landfill or get it recycled without great costs involved. I just salvage what I can and try to make the units workable. Someone somewhere can use them.

[redwudz]

Sorry, oldfart13, that was a spammer that was previously banned and I deleted his post. But the topic is still viable, I just changed the title somewhat. Where I lived previously, any electronic device was disposed of by the pound. CRT devices of any type were $20, resulting in a lot of illegal dumping.

There is some movement to provide occasional free subsidized electronic disposal. In California, and probably other states, there is often a surcharge on electronic devices when you purchase them. This is supposed to go towards their eventual disposal or recycling. There is some small profit in recovery of copper and other metals from electronic devices. The devices are shredded, then the different metals extracted by several processes. Older electronic devices commonly used tin/lead based solder for assembly, and that is considered hazardous waste and more expensive to recover or dispose.

But it's a good topic.

[Supreme2k]

I donate most of my outdated (but working) PCs and parts. It goes to the needy, plus gets me a tax break

[bendixG15]

I donate most of my outdated (but working) PCs and parts. It goes to the needy, plus gets me a tax break

Can you identify the "needy" ?
I can't give my stuff away, because nobody wants it, Salvation army for one. They tell me they got stuck with too much stuff that didn't work and then they had to pay disposal fees to dump it. So they quit taking it.
I sure would like to give away my CRTs instead of paying the town $20.00 to junk them. Then there's the motherboards, cards, drives, etc.

[Number Six]

bendixG15 - I'll take any laptop parts you want to dispose of

[Constant Gardener]

The local recycle depot takes home computers, small printers, displays, and TVs, no charge. I just bought a new printer and had to pay an $8 "environmental fee" which is supposed to offset the cost of disposal. (This is in BC.)

I have no idea where they go after the recycle depot.

[jimdagys]

Old computers go to China. They pay workers 25 cents a day (including 3 bowls of rice) to extract the useful stuff. The rest gets heaped in landfills.

[Supreme2k]

I donate most of my outdated (but working) PCs and parts. It goes to the needy, plus gets me a tax break

Can you identify the "needy" ?
I can't give my stuff away, because nobody wants it, Salvation army for one. They tell me they got stuck with too much stuff that didn't work and then they had to pay disposal fees to dump it. So they quit taking it.
I sure would like to give away my CRTs instead of paying the town $20.00 to junk them. Then there's the motherboards, cards, drives, etc.

I guess location may vary. I was in San Jose, now in San Diego. In both locations, I've had no trouble donating computers and parts. They pretty much take everything that I give. No problem with CRTs, either.

[usually_quiet]

Five years ago, I recycled my old Gateway at Office Depot or Staples for free, but I don't think anyone is doing that anymore. I recently turned in a 1980's 20" TV, a stereo receiver, and two big speakers at a community recycling event. The total cost for that was $30. I saw a lot of old computers and peripherals while I was waiting in line, for which they charged similar fees. The only thing they didn't charge for was used printer cartridges.

Recycling electronics is still optional where I live, and you have to make an effort to participate. Under normal circumstances, I would have needed to drive 15-20 miles across town and would probably have paid a higher fee.

[MOVIEGEEK]

Here in California there are a recyclers in every city that will take it for free,there are even some that will pick it up for free.*
*It's not really free because we pay a fee on every electronic device purchased,it's sort of like the deposit fee on cans and bottles.

[oldfart13]

Free computers that I have been able to recycle have included P4s (three 2.6 GHz at last count), accelerated Celerons and various units with AMD Athlon processors. These I can repair quite nicely. Units older than P3s I won't even bother with. Ditto with HDDs less than 1 Gig in size. I simply can't use them for anything.

[zoobie]

places like the salvation army, goodwill, and other second hand stores are starting to refuse computers altogether to save them the hassle of dealing with ewaste

3 bowls of rice is highway robbery...

[thecoalman]

This "waste" has value and you're being charged for it. Here in PA scrap dealers are common. Not only will they take this stuff but they'll pay you for it. How much depends on what it is. Electronics or any kind of waste like appliances that would be mixed with plastics and different kinds of metals is on the low end and you might make something like $20 on a thousand pounds. It's been a long time since I took anything so I really don't know what they are getting now. The amount it's worth goes up if it's all one type of metal.

There's one local city that used to run a "junk week". They would separate what type of stuff you could throw out each day. They about break even because they would make money on the one day that was appliance/metal day.

[handyguy]

The company that is handling it says they would like to offer the service free to individuals as it is in many other areas of the country but can't at this time

ewaste fees cover any charges, that is what they are for in the first place & they should have caught up by now. I would try to investigate & see if these people are obeying local laws on this.

[wtsinnc]

I wonder if cooperative efforts like this will spread to the major metropolitan areas ?


http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20081017-903239.html?mod=wsjcrmain