Computer Recycling

Ever wonder what to do with your old computers?
Can computers be recycled?
Why should you care about where your old computers go?

For answers to these questions read on!

Facts:

• Computers and other electronics are a fast growing portion of trash going to our dumps.
• Computers contain an average of 4 pounds of lead as well as other potentially hazardous materials like chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc and brominated flame retardants and should be handled with special care at the end of their lives.
• The cathode ray tubes (CRTs) in color computer monitors are the source of the lead and are a big part of why computers are potentially hazardous materials.
• Although the lead is probably not an environmental problem while the monitor is intact, the lead can leach out if the monitors are broken or smashed.

How can you retire your computers in the most environmentally friendly way?

Can your computer be reused?

• If you have equipment that works, could it be donated to your school, other local group, or a household in need?
• If your equipment doesn't work, can it be fixed or can the parts be used for other equipment in the village?

If your computer can't be reused, there are a couple of options. (Unfortunately there are currently no free services available for villages to recycle computers).

IBM (the computer company), together with UPS (United Parcel Service), has a good computer recycling program for a fairly low fee of $40 (which includes shipping). This may be one of the most convenient ways to recycle your computer and you may be able to use grant funds to pay the costs. To find out how you can recycle your computer (of any make or brand) through IBM, click here.

Green Star occasionally holds electronics drop-off days in Anchorage. For a small fee ($5-$25), they accept computers, monitors, fax machines, keyboards, printers, televisions, VCR’s, and other electronics on these drop-off days. Contact Sean Skaling at 278-7827 or email him at sean@greenstarinc.org for more information about these events. Also, Green Star’ has an electronic exchange program on their website where organizations and individuals can list their unwanted working computers. Visit Green Star's website at www.greenstarinc.org for the exchange program and for further electronics recycling information.

Total Reclaim in Anchorage (907) 229-0183 and Seattle (206) 343-7443 is the company that Green Star in Anchorage uses to ship their electronics to, for their annual e-recycling drive. Several communities in Alaska have shipped their computers and other electronics directly to this company. Contact them for price information. Their website is www.totalreclaim.com and you can click here to view their brochure.

PC Salvage in Washington State (1-866-341-8003) can be contacted if you are a school or business and you have several computers to recycle. You can also visit their website at http://www.allaboutpcsalvage.com/index.html. .

There are a few computer retailers in Anchorage where you may be able to take your electronic items. (Source of retailer information from Green Star’s website www.greenstarinc.org)

Related Links

Recycling your computer through IBM
Recycling electronic-waste
Recycling toner/ink jet cartridges
Recycling disks and cd's