What is the best way to get rid of my old computer?

What is the best way to get rid of my old computer?
- Michael

This question was answered on October 29, 2001. Much of the information contained herein may have changed since posting.

Disposing of an older computer has been a problem that has plagued our industry from the beginning The unparalleled acceleration of technology renders many computers unusable for the masses in as little as 2 to 3 years, especially in corporate environments.

Throwing a computer into a dumpster has never been a good idea since toxins such as lead and mercury exist in most devices and will contaminate the water and soil in landfills The average computer monitor can contain between 4 and 8 pounds of lead.

The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (<a href="http://www.svtc.org" target="_blank">www.svtc.org</a>) estimates that roughly 315 million computers will become 'obsolete' between 1997 and 2004 The National Safety Council estimates that three-quarters of all computers ever sold in the United States remain stockpiled awaiting disposal They also estimate that the number of PCs that are deemed obsolete in 2002 will exceed the number of new PCs shipped

These 'obsolete' computers are not totally useless because there are a large number of first time and underprivileged users that can make use of 'yesterday's technology' by using 'yesterday's software' as well.

There are two ways to properly 'recycle' your old computer: donate it or send it to a recycling center.

First, check with your child's school, your church or a local high school to see if they have a program in place On of the most established programs for recycling old computers is known as StRUT (Students Recycling Used Technology), which works with local high school and community college students to recycle equipment.

This program gives students hands-on experience with computers as well as 'donate-able' systems when they finish with them They will accept any type of computer of any age You can get a list of the more than 30 refurbishing centers that are part of the program at their website (<a href="http://www.azstrut.org" target="_blank">www.azstrut.org</a>) or call them at 602.454.2680.

Last year alone, 590 organizations received refurbished equipment (over 4,642 units) through the Arizona StRUT program Qualified schools or non-profits that would like to request a donation can email at [email protected] to apply.

If you want to ensure that your old equipment is disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner, then you may want to have it sent to an actual computer-recycling center

Hewlett-Packard has built a true computer-recycling center in Roseville, California and launched a service that will accept any brand of computer product for recycling.

According to their website "All computer equipment received will first be evaluated for reuse Functioning products will be donated to charitable organizations that accept used equipment or will enter into other reuse channels The remaining equipment will be recycled through a process designed to maximize product re-use and material recovery."

If a component is determined to be unusable, the facility has the ability to breakdown the components into tiny pieces for proper processing and recycling of the raw materials.

There is a small charge per item ($13 to $34) for the processing but it includes the pickup and shipping of the items to their facility You can get the full details of the program at <a href="http://www.hp.com/go/recycle" target="_blank">www.hp.com/go/recycle</a>.

If you plan to donate a computer to any organization, make sure to remove any personal data from the hard drive before handing it over.

If you want to make sure that the data is securely erased, I have posted instructions and a link to a free security erase program at <a href="http://www.datadr.com/eraser.htm" target="_blank">datadoctors.com/eraser.htm</a>.