[Chat] Don't dump your PCs in a dump - spre3ad the word!!

[william.schlegel at us.army.mil]

 Don't dump your PCs in a dump 


SmallTech / Monte Enbysk 
What you do with your old PC (personal computer) could make you non-PC (politically correct) in the environmental world. 
http://www.bcentral.com/articles/enbysk/157.asp?LID=34660

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Imagine where you'd be without your PC. Communications and overall work productivity would plummet for both you personally and your employees.

Now imagine a world where countries are overrun by the dangerous waste from all the old, obsolete computers we no longer want. Landfills packed with tons of cathode-ray tube desktop monitors carrying up to 8 pounds of lead; laptops laden with mercury; circuit boards and other components containing chromium and cadmium and the like, left for future generations.

That's where we are headed, many government leaders believe, if we don't change our habits now and find safer ways to dispose of the PC hardware and related electronics goods we no longer want. Yes, these are the drawbacks to a world with computers. We don't know yet how to get rid of them yet without some cost to the environment. Fortunately, some people are working on this problem. More on that later.

Even though I'm pretty certain you know about this issue, here is a quick refresher:

In the United States alone, 20 million or more PCs became obsolete each year, meaning more than 315 million computers will have been tossed by 2004.

Computers, TVs and other electronic equipment account for 220 million tons of waste each year in the U.S., of which more than 10% goes straight to landfills (a percentage quickly climbing).

As much as 80% of the PCs and other e-waste collected for recycling in the U.S. happens to end up in Asia — where it is unsafely disposed.

So, what should you do about it? A couple of things:

For now: Don't dump your PC in a dump, or stick it in your garbage. By now, your state may have a law against it anyway (several states have various different kinds of e-waste legislation in the works). Check out the reuse and recycle options I discuss below.

For the future: Support an effort by representatives of hardware manufacturers and other technology companies, state and local governments, environmental organizations and the federal Environmental Protection Agency, among others, to find a nationwide program for dealing with electronic waste. Paying for it is a key issue; an upfront fee, tagged onto the cost of a PC or other electronic device, is likely the answer. I discuss this process below as well.


Recycling your old PC now 

If your only PC is at a large business where you work, you probably don't have to deal with this. Most corporations and larger businesses sign agreements for the manufacturer to haul their old computers away when investing in new equipment.

But if you are a consumer or run a small business, the onus is on you to find a safe option. Here are your best options:

Donate your computer for reuse. Offer to family members and friends first, and then, presuming the PC or Mac is usable, to a nonprofit or charitable organization. For the latter, your contribution should be tax-deductible. If you can't find anyone locally, check out the "Recycling and Donation" link at this site or the "Reuse" link at the Electronics Industry Alliance Web site. Warning: Charitable organizations have no space for trash. If your PC is not usable, find another option.

Sell to a company for reuse. Several companies will buy your old computer if it is in good working condition and is not an ancient model. You can get a sampling of these companies simply by typing "computer reuse" or "computer recycling" in your MSN or other search engine. Caution: Some scrap dealers will buy old computers and salvage some of their assets or recycle the metals and plastics. Be wary. If you don't know where what you give them is headed (a boat to Asia?), you might be better off avoiding them.

Recycle through a manufacturer or organization. IBM, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Gateway and Micron are some of the manufacturers who will take back your old PCs, for a fee of $30 or so. 

Dispose through a local household hazardous waste collection program. Municipalities and local governments will collect or haul away computers for a fee, as part of this program. Just like with the manufacturers, you can be certain these folks will safely dispose of the waste. Again, the EIA site offers a good rundown of local offerings, as does the EPA site (see "recycling" pages). But the fee is troubling to those in government — they call it a "disincentive" for people to recycle. They'd rather have the fee upfront. More below.

Pay extra for a manufacturer to take away your old PCs. For small businesses, adding on to the cost of purchasing new equipment may be difficult (such costs vary per manufacturer). But if you can swing it, relieving you of the burden of disposal may be worth the money.


The NEPSI dialogue 

The National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative (NEPSI) is a group coordinating the agreement among governments, manufacturers and environmentalists on a nationwide electronic-waste recycling program. NEPSI representatives have been meeting since early 2001. The deadline is an aggressive one, given the varied interests involved.

Perhaps the biggest issue so far is how to pay for a national recycling program. In March 2002, the group agreed in principle on the concept of a "front-end" fee on PC users — in other words, you pay a tad extra when you buy a PC to finance its so-called "end-of-life" costs. Scott Cassell, director of the Product Stewardship Institute, which represents local government interests, says the upfront fee will be less a deterrent to recycling and safe disposal than the current back-end charges (by most recyclers and manufacturers), which he calls a "disincentive."

While they don't disagree, representatives of the manufacturers are touchy about the amount of such a fee. Even adding $25 to $30 to the price tag of PC or other electronic device could hurt sales or be unevenly applied by different importers, big-name brands or other manufacturers, say Heather Bowman and Kerry Fennelly of the Electronics Industries Alliance. In the meantime, they say, the manufacturers want to make a bigger contribution by designing new products with lesser amounts of lead, mercury and other toxic materials.

Some are dubious about any agreement being hammered out this year, but there's pressure to come up with a solution sooner rather than later — legislation and citizen initiatives continue to crop up in most states, calling for local action. At least 25 states now have proposals or laws related to electronic waste recycling. And most within NEPSI agree: A national standard or federal law is better than a patchwork of diverse state regulations.