Carbon Footprint

A Nutt asked:


Your computer has died, and there is no hope for its resurrection. You have already replaced it, but now what do you do? What options are there for disposing of your old computer in a safe and environmentally friendly way? The answer is computer recycling.

Why Recycling Computers Is Important

Computers and other consumer electronics items make up around two percent of all of the materials in today’s landfills. We already know that recycling in general is important, as the landfills are not getting any smaller, but recycling computers and monitors is especially important. These items contain lead and toxic metals that can cause serious damage to the environment, particularly if they end up in the water supply.

Additionally, your computer contains personal information that you may not know how to completely remove. You do not want a computer guru finding it in the dumpster and taking your personal information off of it. This can lead to identity theft and a lifetime of problems.

Advantages of Recycling Your Computer

Recycling your computer responsibly carries many benefits. First, by working with a responsible recycler, you are ensured that your personal information is completely removed from the machine. This will protect you from dumpster divers who are just waiting to find a hard drive to tap into.

Another benefit of recycling your computer is the fact that you will be doing your part to protect the environment. You will be keeping the toxins that are in your computer out of the landfills and away from the water supply. Additionally, the precious metals and other materials used in these electronics must be mined, which takes a tremendous toll on the environment. By recycling your computer, you ensure that these precious materials are reused, reducing the amount that must be removed from the earth through costly mining efforts.

In many cases a recycled computer can actually be put to use again. Even if a major part of your computer is broken, there are other components that can be used to rebuild other computers. This can provide an affordable computer for an individual or organization that otherwise would not be able to access one. Often these computers are donated to charitable organizations, so in this way you could be helping the community simply by recycling your broken computer. When you choose a recycling center, choose one that works closely with a charitable organization.

How Computer Recycling Works

The first step in a responsible computer recycling program is wiping all information off of the computer’s hard drive. This ensures that your finances and personal information are protected. Then, the recycling program should look at the machine to see if there are any usable components. These are harvested to be used to build new machines. Any non-usable parts are broken down into their basic components, such as metal or plastic, and further processed.

The recycling center will then take these basic components and organize them according to the type they are. These parts will then be sent to a smelting facility to be turned into tiny pieces and melted to be made into other things. For instance, plastic can be melted and used again in another computer or for a completely different plastic item. As part of this process, the precious metals that are in circuit boards are extracted for reuse. This keeps them out of the environment.

Today, only 18 percent of all computers and other consumer electronics that have reached the end of their lives are recycled. This means that 1.84 million tons of this type of waste ends up in the landfills. By recycling your old computer, you can ensure that you do not add to this sad statistic.

Vince Nitti asked:


The rapid evolution of information technology is a double-edged sword. While constant improvements allow us to keep doing more in less time, the downside is that electronic equipment quickly becomes obsolete and needs to be replaced by newer, faster models. One obvious drawback of improving technology is the cost of replacing older models, but what happens to the old equipment? Many computer components are highly toxic to the environment, and virtually all electronic equipment utilizes some form of computer technology. What do we do with the computer we’re replacing? The group Local Self-Reliance estimates that about 75% of obsolete computers and other IT equipment is being stored, creating a time bomb waiting to go off. It will be a dark day for the environment when we all finally decide to dispose of this clutter.

Mercury, chromium, and lead are a few of the hazardous materials found in batteries, cathode ray tubes, and circuit boards. These toxins will be released into the environment if all this outdated equipment disposed of in traditional ways. Soil and water will be affected if this material is dumped in a landfill, and incineration releases toxic ash into the air.

This is why we shouldn’t simply trash our obsolete computers. Many organizations are dedicated to recycling old computer hardware. Recycling helps the environment and enhances quality of life for all of us. There are many volunteer and nonprofit groups that provide recycling services, recovering over 112 million pounds of valuable materials each year from old computers and other electronic equipment. Glass, plastic, steel, and precious metals can all be reused. Most of us don’t realize that even keyboards, CDs, floppy disks, ink cartridges, and power cords contain easily reusable materials. Some peripheral hardware can be utilized with a new computer, such as speakers and reusable disks.

Staples is one company that has instituted a green policy, where old equipment can be dropped off seven days a week for a $10 handling fee. Company spokesperson Mark Buckley estimates that in this country alone, 13,000 computers are disposed of daily.

According to Mark Buckley, of Staples, which has a green policy on accepting old equipment 7 days a week in a drop-off scheme, for a handling fee of 10$, estimates that 13,000 computers are disposed of every day in the U.S. While the company keeps many of the component parts, Staples hands off CR tubes and other hazardous materials to Amandi Services, which makes television components utilizing their own recycling technique. Another organization utilizing new technologies to complement and enhance the usual pulverizing and shredding is Creative Recycling. Their reclamation utilizes very efficient dust filters and negative air pressure in a controlled atmosphere. The output of this system includes various metals, plastic, and glass. The company aims to provide cost-effective solutions for government organizations and has invested millions of dollars in equipment in an attempt to lead the development of new recycling technology.

Not many people have noticed that recycling legislation has been passing in Europe for the last five years. That was when the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive was drafted, forcing computer manufacturing companies to pay for the recycling of old equipment in a safe manner. Unfortunately, since the industry operates with very small profit margins, most people believe the costs will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher computer prices. The additional cost per computer could be as much as $50, according to industry analyst Gartner. And while most people wouldn’t balk at paying a small premium to have their old equipment disposed of properly, the European Union is requiring more stringent demands of green components in the future. This will also increase manufacturing costs in the short term, raising prices even higher.

There aren’t many companies currently recycling computers in England, but the computer companies themselves are beginning to step up and provide alternatives for recycling old equipment. Dell is one computer manufacturer pioneering new ways to recycle old computer equipment. Find out more about computer disposal and recycling by visiting their website at http://www.computer-recycling-center.com.

Compared to Europe, this country is fortunate to have many local outlets for computer recycling. But don’t wait too long to drop off your old computer at a local recycler, because the cost is only going to get higher.

Beverly Saltonstall asked:


Some of the most toxic products being tossed out as household trash are cell phones and electronic devices. This type of trash is called e-trash, and especially problematic are cell phones.

Cell phones contain a very high level of toxic substances that enter the environment when discarded cell phones are incinerated or when rainwater leaches these chemicals out of the landfills into our drinking water.

Cell phones are known to contain toxins such as antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc. These chemicals are listed by the EPA, as persistent toxins (persistent bioaccumulative toxins, PBTS), meaning they do not readily breakdown and remain in the environment for years. Of these metals, lead and cadmium accumulate in both plant and animal tissue, and have been known to be responsible for many disorders in humans.

The dangers of lead has been known for many years. It is thought to be a carcinogen and adversely affects the central nervous system, kidneys, immune system and has been associated with development disorders in children. Lead was banned from paint years ago, and manufacturers are now beginning to eliminate lead from electronic components. Every electronic device contains a circuit board and most often, lead is used to solder components on to these circuit boards.

Another especially toxic component of cell phones is brominated flame retardants. This chemical is added to plastics to reduce the risk of fire. Many components of the cell phone use this chemical. Scientific research has shown that some of these brominated flame retardants are also persistent bioaccumulative and toxic, but it is not know what long term effects this chemical has on humans and the environment.

Some of these flame retardants have been linked to cancer and disturbances in the immune and endocrine systems. When these products are incinerated, they give off highly toxic by- products. As with lead, many manufacturers are eliminating these chemicals from electronic products.

At the time when cell phones first became available to the average consumer, nickel-cadmium was used as a power source. Nickel-cadmium batteries, called Ni-Cds, were the battery of choice because they were rechargeable. The problem is that the metals used in these batteries are highly toxic. Cadmium is a PBT and a probable carcinogen. It has been linked to lung, liver and kidney damage, and has been found to be toxic to wildlife. As with the other toxic chemicals mentioned, cadmium is being eliminated from electronic products by many manufacturers.

The Lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery has typically replaced the Ni-Cds, but they contain their own supply of toxic chemicals.

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation is a non-profit organization that recycles rechargeable batteries. The program, Call2Recycle, has collected millions of pounds of rechargeable batteries and kept them from the landfills. They are trying to educate people on how easy it is to recycle a rechargeable battery or cell phone in the United States and Canada. A Google search on Call2Recycle will direct you to a recycling center near you. It’s free. It’s convenient. It’s responsible. Unfortunately, few people know about this program, so most cell phones and electronics end up in landfills.

Recycling is not the end all to solve our environmental problems. The recycling program is heavily dependent on consumers. When the economy sags and consumers are not buying, the need for recycled materials sags along with the economy. This became painfully evident with the economic crisis that began in October 2009. Recycling plants across the nation were hit hard. The demand for recycled products needed to manufacture new products was severely curtailed. The price for recycled products in some cases dropped 90% taking away the profit from these recycling facilities.

Our only hope is to make an effort to reuse as many products as we can at home, and to aim for zero waste. If recycling is no longer profitable for companies, we may see a future where we are charged for all the garbage we generate, and at a much higher rate than many of us pay now. Disposing highly toxic chemicals may be very expensive for the consumer.