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High-Tech Computer Junk: Where Does It Go? 

Colorado Network Of Business for Social Responsibility

1997 Carnegie Mellon report predicts by the year 2005:

1995 Tufts study found 14 - 20 million computers are stockpiled

WHY?
Volume & toxicity issue (battery, CRTs/monitors, PCBs)

Possible solutions:

1. Ideally computer components would be designed to be recycled
   Designed with a concern for the environment computers are currently outdated in two years
2. Take back programs
   Computer manufactures are required to take back & recycle/reuse the old computer consumers have when they buy a new one (European model on how to handle computer junk); US consumers should exercise voice in computer equipment purchasing to support manufacturers who take back and recycle old computer equipment; Wisconsin & Ohio have computer collection Days and recycling fact sheets that are handed out to purchasing agents
   

End of life issues for electronic equipment:

1. Waste reduction and recycling
2. Public relations
3. Government regulatory relations
4. Community recognition
5. Environmental leadership
6. Ideally computer manufactures should design for the environment but they don't
   It is harder to collect and recycle computers from individuals than it is from company warehouses
   

   

Where do old computers go?

1. Warehouse
2. Room or closet
3. Basement
4. Sold or donated
   Not feasible for older computers, generally needs to be 486 or Pentiums now; 3rd world countries don't necessarily want our older computer stock
5. Recycled
   Be careful who you use--superfund liability possible
6. Land fill
   Hazardous waste in computers; know regulatory issues, because ignorance is how good companies get pulled into liability issues for toxic dumping
   

What is in a computer? 

1. Commodity metals - copper, steel , aluminum, brass
   Requires detailed work to separate
2. Heavy metals - lead, cadmium, silver
3. Hazardous components - battery/mercury relay
4. Glass leaded
5. Plastic - fillers, stabilizers, ppbs, plasticzicers,
   Lead stabilizers are used in computer casings, which were also used in mini blinds distributed to Wal-Mart; those blinds were
   recalled due to manufacturer liability for their proper disposal 
   

How to recycle a computer

1. Dismantle to recover usable parts
   Problem is chip market prices are dropping and high labor costs to dismantle; Western Disposal recently canceled their computer recycling pick up day because of environmental justice issues including the low to slave labor rates some third world nations pay people to dismantle 1st world discarded computers 
2. Separate out the metals, plastic and glass
   Problem is managing hazardous waste, shipping each material to a different processing facility, and the need for a high volume of each material to make it cost effective

What else can you do with an old computer?

1. Sold by bid or auction
   Usually many in a package deal to sweeten the deal a company will put in a few good computers; purchaser takes the good ones and landfills the others, really only pushing disposal onto someone else
2. Refurbish old computers
   Y2K problems plus lower pricing on newer better machines are disincentives to recycling (Y2K will create computers to dispose of 5K acres at the base and 80,000 feet high)
3. Give to someone
   Donation (such as to non-profits or clearinghouses), friends, or employees; only prolongs disposal for short term
4. Dispose of computer as any other hazardous waste
   EPA Code of Federal Regulations (RFR) 40, Sections 260-266, 273
   Hazardous materials include the following: lead D0008, cadmium D0006, mercury D0009, silver D0011, PCB, CFC (Freons), phosphorus, tungsten, lithium, NiCAD, copper, iron, silver-oxide, mercury-oxide, zinc-carbon; use reputable recyclers to avoid superfund liability from recyclers that simply landfill them; EPA standards are that the generator of the waste is responsible for its disosal; click here for computer disposal resources
5. Dump in foreign countries
   US government regulates poor environmental practices in other countries (China burns them in a huge fire and then harvests the metals they can recover after the burning)
6. Store in warehouse
   Hidden costs, space, admin & inventory, insurance & risk management, property tax still paid for the old system, federal tax depreciates after 5-12 years, state and county tax still consider it an asset and they evaluate the asset at the retail price paid for the computer