How-to-Guide: Computer Care: How to Dispose of Computers and Other Electronic Equipment Disposal of Computers and Other Electronic Equipment Discarded computers and other electronic equipment, including monitors, televisions, audio equipment, VCRs, printers, cell phones, and other electronic devices are considered electronic waste (or e-waste). Improperly disposing of this e-waste can spread hazardous waste and toxins, such as cadmium, lead, mercury, and Chromium VI which can cause serious health problems. Owners are strongly encouraged to seek environmentally safe methods of disposing of this equipment. What Can Be Done with This Equipment? According to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Electronics Management Program, you can Reduce, Reuse, or Recycle. Reduce: Maintain the equipment and keep it as long as possible. o The average lifespan of a computer is about 2-3 years. You can extend this by 1 to 2 years by upgrading your present system rather than replacing it. o A good monitor will outlast your CPU so you can use the monitor with a new CPU. Reuse: Refurbish and reuse the equipment. o If the equipment is still in working condition, have it refurbished and/or donate it for reuse by other organizations. o There are organizations that will accept your electronic equipment. To find a local program:  The US Environmental Protection Agency has information on where to donate or recycle electronic products. There are lists for finding local programs, manufacturer and retailer programs, and government-supported donation and recycling programs. http://epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm  Earth 911 has a list of organizations that will accept computers for donation program. http://earth911.com/electronics/computers/reuse-electronicsthrough-donation/  Tech Soup has an extensive list of nonprofit and school-based recyclers, which are ideal for donating working equipment less than five years old, and also commercial recyclers, which are more appropriate for older or non-working equipment. They also have a resource list to find donated equipment. http://www.techsoup.org/resources/index.cfm?action=resource.view_sum mary&resourcelist_id=144 Recycle: If the equipment is beyond refurbishing, the best way to dispose of it is to recycle. o PA Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) has a list of Computer and Electronics Recyclers and Reusers in Pennsylvania http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/cwp/view.asp?a=1242&q=464411 o PA DEP also has an Electronic Collection Program with a list of PA counties that collect and dispose of electronic equipment. There may be a small fee for disposal for some items and in some counties. http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/cwp/view.asp?A=1242&Q=464376 Additional Considerations Regardless of how you dispose of electronic equipment, there are several important steps to take before you do. Remove the hard drive or reformat it. Simply deleting files does not prevent them from being recovered from the hard drive; sometimes, files can even be retrieved from reformatted drives. Evaluate software license agreements to determine if they preclude transfer of the software along with the computer. Remove all company insignia and inventory control tags from computers to be disposed. Removing company insignia and control tags can hamper hackers from identifying to which company any recovered information belongs. For more information, check out: PA DEP’s Electronics Management Program at http://www.depweb.state.pa.us/landrecwaste/cwp/view.asp?a=1242&Q=464383 US Environmental Protection Agency’s e-Cycling Program at http://epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm