Computers contain so many useful parts and components that can be

recycled, reused and re-purposed, that it's a shame to simply throw them
away. PC fans make great air filters, mother boards can become jewelry, hard
drive platters beautifully turn into clocks and power supplies, and cd drives
magically become home made secret safes and roulette wheels! So, think
long and hard next time you find yourself thinking about throwing away a
computer, and instead, take it apart and make one of the amazing projects
below.

Electronic waste

Defective and obsolete electronic equipment

Electronic waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. The used electronics
which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling or disposal are also considered as ewaste. Informal processing of electronic waste in developing countries may cause serious health
and pollution problems, though these countries are also most likely to reuse and repair
electronics.
All electronic scrap components, such as CRTs, may contain contaminants such
as lead, cadmium, beryllium, or brominated flame retardants. Even in developed
countries recycling and disposal of e-waste may involve significant risk to workers and
communities and great care must be taken to avoid unsafe exposure in recycling operations and
leaking of materials such as heavy metals from landfillsand incinerator ashes. Scrap industry and
U.S. EPA officials agree that materials should be managed with caution [1]

Hoarding (left), disassembling (center) and collecting (right) electronic waste in Bengaluru, India

"Electronic waste" may be defined as discarded computers, office electronic equipment,

entertainment device electronics, mobile phones,television sets, and refrigerators. This includes
used electronics which are destined for reuse, resale, salvage, recycling, or disposal. Others are
re-usables (working and repairable electronics) and secondary scrap (copper, steel, plastic, etc.)
to be "commodities", and reserve the term "waste" for residue or material which is dumped by the
buyer rather than recycled, including residue from reuse and recycling operations. Because
loads of surplus electronics are frequently commingled (good, recyclable, and non-recyclable),
several public policy advocates apply the term "e-waste" broadly to all surplus
electronics. Cathode ray tubes (CRTs) are considered one of the hardest types to recycle.[2]
CRTs have relatively high concentration of lead and phosphors (not to be confused with
phosphorus), both of which are necessary for the display. The United States Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) includes discarded CRT monitors in its category of "hazardous
household waste"[3] but considers CRTs that have been set aside for testing to be commodities if
they are not discarded, speculatively accumulated, or left unprotected from weather and other
damage.
The EU and its member states operate a system via the European Waste Catalogue (EWC)- a
European Council Directive, which is interpreted into "member state law". In the UK (a EU
member state), this is in the form of the List of Wastes Directive. However, the list (and EWC)
gives broad definition (EWC Code 16 02 13*) of Hazardous Electronic wastes, requiring "waste
operators" to employ the Hazardous Waste Regulations (Annex 1A, Annex 1B) for refined
definition. Constituent materials in the waste also require assessment via the combination of
Annex II and Annex III, again allowing operators to further determine whether a waste is
hazardous.[4]

Debate continues over the distinction between "commodity" and "waste" electronics definitions.
Some exporters are accused of deliberately leaving difficult-to-recycle, obsolete, or nonrepairable equipment mixed in loads of working equipment (though this may also come through
ignorance, or to avoid more costly treatment processes). Protectionists may broaden the
definition of "waste" electronics in order to protect domestic markets from working secondary
equipment.
The high value of the computer recycling subset of electronic waste (working and reusable
laptops, desktops, and components like RAM) can help pay the cost of transportation for a larger
number of worthless pieces than can be achieved with display devices, which have less (or
negative) scrap value. In A 2011 report, "Ghana E-Waste Country Assessment", [5] found that of
215,000 tons of electronics imported to Ghana, 30% were brand new and 70% were used. Of the
used product, the study concluded that 15% was not reused and was scrapped or discarded.
This contrasts with published but uncredited claims that 80% of the imports into Ghana were
being burned in primitive conditions.

Amount of Electronic waste world-wide[edit]

A fragment of discarded circuit board.

Rapid changes in technology, changes in media (tapes, software, MP3), falling prices,
and planned obsolescence have resulted in a fast-growing surplus of electronic waste around the
globe. Dave Kruch, CEO of Cash For Laptops, regards electronic waste as a "rapidly expanding"
issue.[6] Technical solutions are available, but in most cases a legal framework, a collection,
logistics, and other services need to be implemented before a technical solution can be applied.
Display units (CRT, LCD, LED monitors), processors (CPU, GPU, or APU chips), memory
(DRAM or SRAM), and audio components have different useful lives. Processors are most
frequently out-dated (by software no longer being optimized) and are more likely to become "ewaste", while display units are most often replaced while working without repair attempts, due to
changes in wealthy nation appetites for new display technology.
An estimated 50 million tons of E-waste are produced each year.[1] The USA discards 30 million
computers each year and 100 million phones are disposed of in Europe each year. The
Environmental Protection Agency estimates that only 15-20% of e-waste is recycled, the rest of
these electronics go directly into landfills and incinerators.[7][8]
According to a report by UNEP titled, "Recycling - from E-Waste to Resources," the amount of ewaste being produced - including mobile phones and computers - could rise by as much as 500
percent over the next decade in some countries, such as India.[9] The United States is the world
leader in producing electronic waste, tossing away about 3 million tons each year.[10] China
already produces about 2.3 million tons (2010 estimate) domestically, second only to the United
States. And, despite having banned e-waste imports, China remains a major e-waste dumping
ground for developed countries.[10]
Electrical waste contains hazardous but also valuable and scarce materials. Up to 60 elements
can be found in complex electronics.
In the United States, an estimated 70% of heavy metals in landfills comes from discarded
electronics.[11][12]

While there is agreement that the number of discarded electronic devices is increasing, there is
considerable disagreement about the relative risk (compared to automobile scrap, for example),
and strong disagreement whether curtailing trade in used electronics will improve conditions, or
make them worse. According to an article in Motherboard, attempts to restrict the trade have
driven reputable companies out of the supply chain, with unintended consequences. [13]

Global trade issues[edit]

Electronic waste is often exported to developing countries.

4.5-volt, D, C, AA, AAA, AAAA, A23, 9-volt, CR2032, and LR44 cells are all recyclable in most countries.

One theory is that increased regulation of electronic waste and concern over the environmental
harm in mature economies creates an economic disincentive to remove residues prior to export.
Critics of trade in used electronics maintain that it is still too easy for brokers calling themselves
recyclers to export unscreened electronic waste to developing countries, such as China, [14] India
and parts of Africa, thus avoiding the expense of removing items like bad cathode ray tubes (the
processing of which is expensive and difficult). The developing countries have become toxic
dump yards of e-waste. Proponents of international trade point to the success of fair
tradeprograms in other industries, where cooperation has led to creation of sustainable jobs, and
can bring affordable technology in countries where repair and reuse rates are higher.
Defenders of the trade[who?] in used electronics say that extraction of metals from virgin mining has
been shifted to developing countries. Recycling of copper, silver, gold, and other materials from
discarded electronic devices is considered better for the environment than mining. They also
state that repair and reuse of computers and televisions has become a "lost art" in wealthier
nations, and that refurbishing has traditionally been a path to development.
South Korea, Taiwan, and southern China all excelled in finding "retained value" in used goods,
and in some cases have set up billion-dollar industries in refurbishing used ink cartridges, singleuse cameras, and working CRTs. Refurbishing has traditionally been a threat to established
manufacturing, and simple protectionism explains some criticism of the trade. Works like "The
Waste Makers" by Vance Packard explain some of the criticism of exports of working product, for
example the ban on import of tested working Pentium 4 laptops to China, or the bans on export
of used surplus working electronics by Japan.
Opponents of surplus electronics exports argue that lower environmental and labor standards,
cheap labor, and the relatively high value of recovered raw materials leads to a transfer of
pollution-generating activities, such as smelting of copper wire. In China, Malaysia, India, Kenya,
and various African countries, electronic waste is being sent to these countries for processing,
sometimes illegally. Many surplus laptops are routed to developing nations as "dumping grounds
for e-waste".[6]
Because the United States has not ratified the Basel Convention or its Ban Amendment, and has
few domestic federal laws forbidding the export of toxic waste, the Basel Action
Network estimates that about 80% of the electronic waste directed to recycling in the U.S. does
not get recycled there at all, but is put on container ships and sent to countries such as China.[15]

This figure is disputed as an exaggeration by the EPA, the Institute of Scrap Recycling
Industries, and the World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association.
[16][17][18]

Independent research by Arizona State University showed that 87-88% of imported used
computers did not have a higher value than the best value of the constituent materials they
contained, and that "the official trade in end-of-life computers is thus driven by reuse as opposed
to recycling".[19]

Electronic Waste Dump of the World: Guiyu, China[edit]

The E-waste centre ofAgbogbloshie, Ghana, where electronic waste is burnt and disassembled with no safety or
environmental considerations.

Guiyu in the Shantou region of China is a huge electronic waste processing area. [15][20][21] It is often
referred to as the e-waste capital of the world. The city employs over 150,000 e-waste workers
that work through 16-hour days disassembling old computers and recapturing whatever metals
and parts they can reuse or sell. The thousands of individual workshops employ laborers to snip
cables, pry chips from circuit boards, grind plastic computer cases into particles, and dip circuit
boards in acid baths to dissolve the lead, cadmium, and other toxic metals. Others work to strip
insulation from all wiring in an attempt to salvage tiny amounts of copper wire. [22] Uncontrolled
burning, disassembly, and disposal causes a variety of environmental problems such as
groundwater contamination, atmospheric pollution, or even water pollution either by immediate
discharge or due to surface runoff (especially near coastal areas), as well as health problems
including occupational safety and health effects among those directly and indirectly involved, due
to the methods of processing the waste.
Only limited investigations have been carried out on the health effects of Guiyu's poisoned
environment. One of them was carried out by Professor Huo Xia, of the Shantou University
Medical College, which is an hour and a half's drive from Guiyu. She tested 165 children for
concentrations of lead in their blood. 82% of the Guiyu children had blood/lead levels of more
than 100. Anything above that figure is considered unsafe by international health experts. The
average reading for the group was 149.[23]
High levels of lead in young children's blood can impact IQ and the development of the central
nervous system. The highest concentrations of lead were found in the children of parents whose
workshop dealt with circuit boards and the lowest was among those who recycled plastic. [23]
Six of the many villages in Guiyu specialize in circuit-board disassembly, seven in plastics and
metals reprocessing, and two in wire and cable disassembly. About a year ago the environmental
group Greenpeace sampled dust, soil, river sediment and groundwater in Guiyu where e-waste
recycling is done. They found soaring levels of toxic heavy metals and organic contaminants in
both places.[24] Lai Yun, a campaigner for the group found "over 10 poisonous metals, such as
lead, mercury and cadmium, in Guiyu town."
Guiyu is only one example of digital dumps but similar places can be found across the world
such as Asia and Africa. With amounts of e-waste growing rapidly each year urgent solutions are
required. While the waste continues to flow into digital dumps like Guiyu there are measures that
can help reduce the flow of e-waste.[23]

A preventative step that major electronics firms should take is to remove the worst chemicals in
their products in order to make them safer and easier to recycle. It is important that all companies
take full responsibility for their products and, once they reach the end of their useful life, take
their goods back for re-use or safely recycle them.

Trade[edit]
Proponents of the trade say growth of internet access is a stronger correlation to trade than
poverty. Haiti is poor and closer to the port of New York than southeast Asia, but far more
electronic waste is exported from New York to Asia than to Haiti. Thousands of men, women, and
children are employed in reuse, refurbishing, repair, and remanufacturing, unsustainable
industries in decline in developed countries. Denying developing nations access to used
electronics may deny them sustainable employment, affordable products, and internet access, or
force them to deal with even less scrupulous suppliers. In a series of seven articles for The
Atlantic, Shanghai-based reporter Adam Minter describes many of these computer repair and
scrap separation activities as objectively sustainable.[25]
Opponents of the trade argue that developing countries utilize methods that are more harmful
and more wasteful. An expedient and prevalent method is simply to toss equipment onto an open
fire, in order to melt plastics and to burn away non-valuable metals. This
releases carcinogens and neurotoxins into the air, contributing to an acrid, lingering smog. These
noxious fumes include dioxins and furans.[26] Bonfire refuse can be disposed of quickly into
drainage ditches or waterways feeding the ocean or local water supplies. [18][27]
In June 2008, a container of electronic waste, destined from the Port of Oakland in the U.S.
to Sanshui District in mainland China, was intercepted in Hong Kong byGreenpeace.[28] Concern
over exports of electronic waste were raised in press reports in India, [29][30] Ghana,[31][32][33] Cte
d'Ivoire,[34] and Nigeria.[35]

Environmental Impact of Electronic Waste[edit]

Old keyboards

The processes of dismantling and disposing of electronic waste in the third world lead to a
number of environmental impacts as illustrated in the graphic. Liquid and atmospheric releases
end up in bodies of water, groundwater, soil, and air and therefore in land and sea animals both
domesticated and wild, in crops eaten by both animals and human, and in drinking water.[36]
One study of environmental effects in Guiyu, China found the following:

Airborne dioxins one type found at 100 times levels previously measured

Levels of carcinogens in duck ponds and rice paddies exceeded international standards
for agricultural areas and cadmium, copper, nickel, and lead levels in rice paddies were
above international standards

Heavy metals found in road dust lead over 300 times that of a control villages road
dust and copper over 100 times[37]

The environmental impact of the processing of different electronic waste components

E-Waste Component

Process Used

Potential Environmental Hazard

Cathode ray tubes (used in

TVs, computer monitors, Breaking and removal of
ATM, video cameras, and yoke, then dumping
more)

Lead, barium and other heavy metals leaching

into the ground water and release of toxic
phosphor

Printed circuit board

(image behind table - a
thin plate on which chips
and other electronic
components are placed)

De-soldering and removal

of computer chips; open
burning and acid baths to
remove final metals after
chips are removed.

Air emissions as well as discharge into rivers of

glass dust, tin, lead, brominated dioxin,
beryllium cadmium, and mercury

Chips and other gold

plated components

Hydrocarbons, heavy metals, brominated

substances discharged directly into rivers
Chemical stripping using
acidifying fish and flora. Tin and lead
nitric and hydrochloric acid
contamination of surface and groundwater. Air
and burning of chips
emissions of brominated dioxins, heavy metals
and hydrocarbons

Plastics from printers,

keyboards, monitors, etc.

Shredding and low temp

melting to be reused

Computer wires

Open burning and stripping Hydrocarbon ashes released into air, water and
to remove copper
soil.

Emissions of brominated dioxins, heavy metals

and hydrocarbons

[38]

Information security[edit]
E-waste presents a potential security threat to individuals and exporting countries. Hard
drives that are not properly erased before the computer is disposed of can be reopened,
exposing sensitive information. Credit card numbers, private financial data, account information,
and records of online transactions can be accessed by most willing individuals. Organized
criminals in Ghana commonly search the drives for information to use in local scams.[39]
Government contracts have been discovered on hard drives found in Agbogbloshie. Multi-million
dollar agreements from United States security institutions such as the Defense Intelligence
Agency (DIA), the Transportation Security Administration and Homeland Security have all
resurfaced in Agbogbloshie.[39][40]

E-waste management[edit]
Recycling[edit]

Computer monitors are typically packed into low stacks on wooden pallets for recycling and then shrink-wrapped.
[26]

See also: Computer recycling

Today the electronic waste recycling business is in all areas of the developed world a large and
rapidly consolidating business. People tend to forget that properly disposing or reusing
electronics can help prevent health problems, create jobs, and reduce greenhouse-gas
emissions.[41] Part of this evolution has involved greater diversion of electronic waste from energyintensive downcycling processes (e.g., conventional recycling), where equipment is reverted to a
raw material form. This recycling is done by sorting, dismantling, and recovery of valuable
materials.[42] This diversion is achieved through reuse and refurbishing. The environmental and
social benefits of reuse include diminished demand for new products and virgin raw materials
(with their own environmental issues); larger quantities of pure water and electricity for
associated manufacturing; less packaging per unit; availability of technology to wider swaths of
society due to greater affordability of products; and diminished use of landfills.
Audiovisual components, televisions, VCRs, stereo equipment, mobile phones, other handheld
devices, and computer components contain valuable elements and substances suitable for
reclamation, including lead, copper, and gold.
One of the major challenges is recycling the printed circuit boards from the electronic wastes.
The circuit boards contain such precious metals as gold, silver, platinum, etc. and such base
metals as copper, iron, aluminum, etc. One way e-waste is processed is by melting circuit
boards, burning cable sheathing to recover copper wire and open- pit acid leaching for
separating metals of value.[43] Conventional method employed is mechanical shredding and
separation but the recycling efficiency is low. Alternative methods such as cryogenic
decomposition have been studied for printed circuit board recycling,[44] and some other methods
are still under investigation.

Consumer awareness efforts[edit]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages electronic recyclers to become

certified by demonstrating to an accredited, independent third party auditor that they meet
specific standards to safely recycle and manage electronics. This works to ensure the
highest environmental standards are being maintained. Two certifications for electronic
recyclers currently exist and are endorsed by the EPA. Customers are encouraged to choose
certified electronics recyclers. Responsible electronics recycling reduces environmental and
human health impacts, increases the use of reusable and refurbished equipment and
reduces energy use while conserving limited resources. The two EPA-endorsed certification
programs are: Responsible Recyclers Practices (R2) and E-Stewards. Certified companies
ensure they are meeting strict environmental standards which maximize reuse and recycling,
minimize exposure to human health or the environment, ensure safe management of
materials and require destruction of all data used on electronics. Certified electronics

recyclers have demonstrated through audits and other means that they continually meet
specific high environmental standards and safely manage used electronics. Once certified,
the recycler is held to the particular standard by continual oversight by the independent
accredited certifying body. A certification accreditation board accredits certifying bodies and
oversees certifying bodies to ensure that they meet specific responsibilities and are
competent to audit and provide certification. EPA supports and will continue to push for
continuous improvement of electronics recycling practices and standards. [45]

e-Cycle, LLC: e-Cycle, LLC is the first mobile buyback and recycling company in the
world to be e-Stewards, R2 and ISO 14001 certified. They work with the largest
organizations in the world, including 16 of the Fortune 20 and 356 of the Fortune 500, to
raise awareness on the global e-waste crisis.[46]

Best Buy: Best Buy accepts electronic items for recycling, even if they were not
purchased at Best Buy. For a full list of acceptable items and locations, visit Best Buys
Recycling information page.[47]

Staples: Staples also accepts electronic items for recycling at no additional cost. They
also accept ink and printer toner cartridges. For a full list of acceptable items and locations,
visit the Staples Recycling information page.[48]

In the US, the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) urges consumers to dispose
properly of end-of-life electronics through its recycling locator at www.GreenerGadgets.org.
This list only includes manufacturer and retailer programs that use the strictest standards
and third-party certified recycling locations, to provide consumers assurance that their
products will be recycled safely and responsibly. CEA research has found that 58 percent of
consumers know where to take their end-of-life electronics, and the electronics industry
would very much like to see that level of awareness increase. Consumer electronics
manufacturers and retailers sponsor or operate more than 5,000 recycling locations
nationwide and have vowed to recycle one billion pounds annually by 2016, [49] a sharp
increase from 300 million pounds industry recycled in 2010.

The Sustainable Materials Management Electronic Challenge was created by the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Participants of the Challenge are
manufacturers of electronics and electronic retailers. These companies collect end-of-life
(EOL) electronics at various locations and send them to a certified, third-party recycler.
Program participants are then able publicly promote and report 100% responsible recycling
for their companies.[50]

AddressTheMess.com is a Comedy Central pro-social campaign that seeks to increase

awareness of the dangers of electronic waste and to encourage recycling. Partners in the
effort include Earth911.com, ECOInternational.com, and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency. Many Comedy Central viewers are early adopters of new electronics, and produce a
commensurate amount of waste that can be directed towards recycling efforts. The station is
also taking steps to reduce its own environmental impact, in partnership with
NativeEnergy.com, a company that specializes in renewable energy and carbon offsets.

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition[51] is a campaign aimed at protecting human health

and limiting environmental effects where electronics are being produced, used, and
discarded. The ETBC aims to place responsibility for disposal of technology products on
electronic manufacturers and brand owners, primarily through community promotions and
legal enforcement initiatives. It provides recommendations for consumer recycling and a list
of recyclers judged environmentally responsible.[52]

The Certified Electronics Recycler program[53] for electronic recyclers is a comprehensive,

integrated management system standard that incorporates key operational and continual
improvement elements for quality, environmental and health and safety (QEH&S)
performance.

The grassroots Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (svtc.org) focuses on promoting human
health and addresses environmental justice problems resulting from toxins in technologies.

Basel Action Network (BAN.org) is uniquely focused on addressing global environmental

injustices as a result of the global toxic trade. It works for human rights and the environment
by preventing disproportionate dumping of hazardous waste on developing countries, on a
large scale. Today, BAN is not only the leading global source of information and advocacy on
toxic trade and international hazardous waste treaties, but it has also developed marketbased solutions that rely on the highest standards for globally responsible recycling and
rigorous accredited and independent certification to those standards.

Texas Campaign for the Environment (texasenvironment.org) works to build grassroots

support for e-waste recycling and uses community organizing to pressure electronics
manufacturers and elected officials to enact producer takeback recycling policies and commit
to responsible recycling programs.

The World Reuse, Repair, and Recycling Association (wr3a.org) is an organization

dedicated to improving the quality of exported electronics, encouraging better recycling
standards in importing countries, and improving practices through "Fair Trade" principles.

Take Back My TV[54] is a project of The Electronics TakeBack Coalition and grades
television manufacturers to find out which are responsible and which are not.

The e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA)[55] has been instrumental in building a
network of e-waste recyclers and refurbishers in the country. It continues to drive the
sustainable, environmentally sound management of all e-waste in South Africa.

E-Cycling Central is a website from the Electronic Industry Alliance which allows you to
search for electronic recycling programs in your state. It lists different recyclers by state to
find reuse, recycle, or find donation programs across the country.[56]

Ewaste.guide.info is a Switzerland-based website dedicated to improving the e-waste

situation in developing and transitioning countries. The site contains news, events, case
studies, and more.[57]

StEP: Solving the E-Waste Problem This website of StEP, an initiative founded by various
UN organizations to develop strategies to solve the e-waste problem, follows its activities
and programs.[42][58]

Processing techniques[edit]

Recycling the lead from batteries.

In many developed countries, electronic waste processing usually first involves dismantling the
equipment into various parts (metal frames, power supplies, circuit boards, plastics), often by
hand, but increasingly by automated shredding equipment. A typical example is the NADIN
electronic waste processing plant in Novi Iskar, Bulgariathe largest facility of its kind in Eastern
Europe.[59][60] The advantages of this process are the human's ability to recognize and save
working and repairable parts, including chips, transistors, RAM, etc. The disadvantage is that the
labor is cheapest in countries with the lowest health and safety standards.
In an alternative bulk system,[61] a hopper conveys material for shredding into an unsophisticated
mechanical separator, with screening and granulating machines to separate constituent metal
and plastic fractions, which are sold to smelters or plastics recyclers. Such recycling machinery is
enclosed and employs a dust collection system. Some of the emissions are caught by scrubbers
and screens. Magnets, eddy currents, and trommel screens are employed to separate glass,
plastic, and ferrous and nonferrous metals, which can then be further separated at a smelter.
Leaded glass from CRTs is reused in car batteries, ammunition, and lead wheel weights, [26] or
sold to foundries as a fluxing agent in processing raw lead ore. Copper, gold, palladium, silver
and tin are valuable metals sold to smelters for recycling. Hazardous smoke and gases are
captured, contained and treated to mitigate environmental threat. These methods allow for safe
reclamation of all valuable computer construction materials.[18] Hewlett-Packard product recycling
solutions manager Renee St. Denis describes its process as: "We move them through giant
shredders about 30 feet tall and it shreds everything into pieces about the size of a quarter. Once
your disk drive is shredded into pieces about this big, it's hard to get the data off". [62]
An ideal electronic waste recycling plant combines dismantling for component recovery with
increased cost-effective processing of bulk electronic waste.
Reuse is an alternative option to recycling because it extends the lifespan of a device. Devices
still need eventual recycling, but by allowing others to purchase used electronics, recycling can
be postponed and value gained from device use.

Benefits of recycling[edit]
Recycling raw materials from end-of-life electronics is the most effective solution to the growing
e-waste problem. Most electronic devices contain a variety of materials, including metals that can
be recovered for future uses. By dismantling and providing reuse possibilities, intact natural
resources are conserved and air and water pollution caused by hazardous disposal is avoided.
Additionally, recycling reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the
manufacturing of new products.[63]
Benefits of recycling are extended when responsible recycling methods are used. In the U.S.,
responsible recycling aims to minimize the dangers to human health and the environment that
disposed and dismantled electronics can create. Responsible recycling ensures best
management practices of the electronics being recycled, worker health and safety, and
consideration for the environment locally and abroad.[64]

Disposing of e-waste
Computer parts can become hazardous landfill clutter if disposed of improperly. Here
is how to reuse or recycle computers.
By: Networx.com
Thu, Aug 05, 2010 at 11:53 AM

0 Facebook 18 Twitter 13 Pinterest 0 Google+

E-WASTE: West Hollywood recycling collection. (Photo: Joshua Barash for City of West Hollywood/Flickr)
Computers have become indispensable and were once virtually un-disposable. Most computers contain rare
metals and specialized chemicals that are difficult to recycle. Thankfully, a growing number of programs are
available for recycling various types of environmentally hazardous electronic waste, and for extending the life of
used computer components.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 1.84 million tons of TVs, computers and cell phones
were dumped in 2007, compared to 400,000 tons of recycled electronics. Add your computer to the recycled tally.
Here are some ways to recycle used computer parts, as well as ways to make sustainable computer choices and
reuse outdated gadgets.
Choose the right products
Reducing concerns regarding used computers starts with seeking out the least toxic new computers. Acer and
Apple promise to eliminate vinyl plastic (PVC) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from all their computers
by the end of 2009. Cutting out these toxic chemicals will make them more eco-friendly and easier to recycle. HP,
Lenovo and Dell promised to eliminate the same toxic chemicals, but have not set a deadline. Greenpeace
closely tracks the sustainability of all major electronics companies, publishing comparative reports at least once a
year.
New life for an old computer
No matter what type of computer you buy, consider finding a new home for the computer or its individual parts
once you are no longer using it. Schools and nonprofit groups don't care if the hard drive is slow or the operating
system is obsolete.
First, whether recycling a computer or donating it for reuse, be sure to erase all personal information and data.
Several options are available for each operating system. Here is a good CNET video that explains the reasons
and the process for wiping the hard drive.

Most Goodwill stores offer free electronics dropoffs. Goodwill works with Dell Computers to revive dead
computers and get them into schools or community centers. Other organizations, including Close the
Gap and World Computer Exchange, collect computers and send them to needy youth in developing countries.
Computer recycling
If computer parts are truly dead and unusable, don't just put them in the trash or the recycling bin. E-waste
disposal is more specialized, but recycling programs are available in many communities. Earth 911 has a ZIP
code search function to help you find recycling programs in your area. The EPA also has a list of manufacturers'
programs for taking back and recycling their used products.
Computer parts can become toxic e-waste in a landfill, but there are plenty of alternatives. Consider donating old
computers for reuse, and recycling machines that are completely dead. Also look for eco-friendly options when
buying a replacement computer.

Read more: http://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/disposing-of-e-waste#ixzz3ICXkTKMc

How to Safely Get Rid of an Old

Computer

554,192 views
77 Editors

Edited 9 weeks ago

Three Methods:Reusing Your ComputerSelling or Giving Your Computer AwayDisposing of Your Old
Computer

Computers pose several unique challenges when the time comes for their disposal.
Like many electronics, computers contain heavy metals that can become
environmental hazards when disposed of improperly. Additionally, computers often
contain a wealth of personal information in the form of passwords, account numbers,
and the like that no user wants to fall into the wrong hands. Luckily, there are several
easy methods that allow you to shed that space-wasting old computer without
harming the environment or exposing yourself to the possibility of fraud.

Steps
Things to do Before Disposing of Your Computer

1.

1
Back up important personal data. Once your computer is gone, it's (most likely)
gone forever, so be sure that you've made copies of any and all files on the computer
that you'll need in the future. Be conservative - it's always better to back up too
much information than too little.
You may use a USB stick or an external hard drive to store your

important information - both of these are available at electronics stores. Additionally,

a storage method that's become available in the last few years is the use of cloud
drives, which can be free to casual users with the registration of an account.
Ad

2
Permanently remove all personal data from the computer. Once your important
information has been backed up, it's wise to delete it from the computer so that future
users or identity thieves can't access it. Deleting data by putting it in the recycle bin
or your computer's equivalent can actually leave it on your hard drive in a form that's
possible for savvy individuals to recover. This means that, usually, rendering your
computer completely free of personal information requires formatting its hard drive.
o

Formatting a hard drive is irreversible and will essential make your

computer a "blank slate" - free of not just your personal data but of basically all data so make absolutely sure you're done with your computer before doing this.

3
Choose an option for disposal. There's no one "right way" to get rid of an old
computer - depending on how well it works and your own computing needs, you may
choose to re-purpose the computer for another use, sell it or give it away so that
someone else can use it, or allow it to be recycled and/or disposed of in an
environmentally safe way.
o

You may also wish to physically remove certain parts of the computer,
like the hard drive or video card, so that you can use them in the future, but only
remove parts from the inside of your computer if you're confident you can do so
safely or you have access to experienced help.

4
If reusing, selling, or giving away your computer, clean it. If you don't believe
your computer has reached the end of its life, take this opportunity to give it a fresh
start by thoroughly cleaning it. Wipe the exterior and the screen with a slightly damp
(not wet) rag or mild chemical wipe. Be sure to pay attention to the gaps in between
keys on the keyboard, which can become disgusting with long-term use. Use a Q-tip
to clean these hard-to-reach spaces. For a deep clean, open the computer's inner
compartment and use compressed air to remove dust.

Method 1 of 3: Reusing Your Computer

1.

1
Use your computer as a small file server. One new use for your old computer is as
a file server for your home or work place. Basically, your reconfigured computer will
act as shared storage for the other computers in your home. This option is a great
idea for homes with several computers that all need to access the same data. It's
also great in terms of energy efficiency, because, since the computer is acting solely
as storage space, you won't need to use its monitor, keyboard, or speakers.
Several free open-source programs exist that allow you to convert your

old computer into a server. One example of such a program is FreeNAS. These
programs are available for download from the internet.
For extra storage space, you may want to install an extra hard drive or

o
two.

You may also want to install a basic, streamlined operating system

(such as Ubuntu) on your file server.

2
Keep your computer as a backup. An option related to the one above is to use
your computer not as storage space for new files, but, rather, as a backup for your
new computer. In other words, keep it around so that you'll have a functional
replacement for your new computer if it should break or suffer an error. If you choose
to do this, you will not even need to remove your personal data from the computer you can just disconnect it and leave it in the closet until it's needed.

Consider installing a lightweight OS like Linux. Another method for getting some
use out of an old computer is to install an operating system with exceptionally low
system requirements. This allows you to continue using the computer for certain
minor purposes - basic word processing, web browsing, simple games, etc. Linux is
a free, popular, no-frills operating system with many different variants are often used
for this purpose. For example, a Linux system called Puppy Linux is a variety of Linux
that has especially low system requirements.

Use your old computer as a router. Depending on the wireless capabilities of your
old machine, you may be able to re-purpose it as a wireless router so that you're able
to enjoy internet on your smartphone, tablet, or another computer. Many computers
have the ability to act as the broadcasting hub for a wireless network. If yours does,
be sure that a firewall is installed for security purposes before using your computer
as a router.

Method 2 of 3: Selling or Giving Your Computer Away

1.

1
Attempt to sell it. All that you need to make a posting on an online auction site like
eBay are the technical specification of your computer and a few pictures for good
measure. You may be surprised to discover that people out there are actually willing
to pay money for relatively old machines. For instance, certain types of hardware
from the 80's and early 90's may be considered "vintage" and thus fetch a
reasonable price from collectors.
o

If your computer is so old as to be rare or remarkable, you may actually

be able to sell (or donate) it to a computer museum where it will be preserved for its
role in history.

Also be open to the possibility of selling your computer's parts, rather

than the entire machine. If some of your computer's components are higher-quality

than others (i.e: after-market video cards, memory, etc.), it may be well worth the
effort to remove and sell them separately.

2
Give your computer to a friend. Before you throw your computer out, ask around to
see if any of your friends are looking for an older computer. Tech-savvy people
sometimes reconfigure old computers for use as file servers or e-mail stations. They
may also be able to scrap your computer for parts, taking what they need and
properly disposing of the rest.

Give your computer to someone with minimal computing requirements. Your

old computer may be insufficient for your purposes, but, to someone who's not used
to modern computers, it may seem borderline-miraculous. Consider giving your
computer to an elderly user like a parent or grandparent. Old, slow computers are
perfect for the types of basic tasks that elderly relatives are likely to be interested in.
When you have time, try teaching him or her how to use e-mail and surf the web you'll be doing him or her a favor and ensuring that your old computer isn't going to
waste.

4
Contact a school, non-profit, or philanthropic organization. Many organizations
that exist primarily for the public good have programs to make use of older

computers. Contact a local school, church, youth organization, non-profit, or charity

and ask if they're willing to find a use for your old computer. There are a wide variety
of charitable uses for computers. For instance, some charities will recycle or
refurbish computers, then give them to the poor, while others charities will send the
computers to schools in undeveloped areas of the world.
As an added bonus, you will sometimes be eligible to receive a receipt

of your donation for a tax deduction.

5
Give it to a willing stranger. When all else fails, giving a functional computer to a
complete stranger is still better than putting it in a landfill. You might try putting a sign
on your computer saying something along the lines of "Free old computer - good for

parts or case," and leaving it by the curb on a dry afternoon. Or, you might try
making the same offer on an online classifieds site like Craigslist. Finally, you can try
taking it to a local swap-meet or flea market and fetching whatever price you can for
it.
Be extra careful when giving your computer to a stranger, as you have

no way of knowing whether they have malicious intentions or not. Be absolutely sure
that any personal information has been removed from the computer before giving it
away.

Method 3 of 3: Disposing of Your Old Computer

1. 1
Contact the manufacturer. Today, most computer manufacturers offer some sort of
end-of-life disposal service for their products. If you're unable to find someone to take
your computer off your hands or your computer is in a non-functional condition,
consider contacting the manufacturer for safe disposal options.
o

However, note that not all manufacturers behave equally ethically when
disposing of old computers. Some ship computer waste to landfills in the developing
world, where it becomes an environmental and health hazard for the local
community. Before handing your computer over to your manufacturer, try to research
it's ethical record with regards to computer recycling and disposal.

2
Trade your computer in when you buy a new one. Some companies, such as Dell
and HP, now offer to recycle your old computer for free when you buy a new one
from them. If you have yet to buy your new computer and you're interested in
purchasing from the same company as before, consider this option, as it allows you
to leave the process of finding a responsible means of disposal to the experts while
(possibly) receiving a discount on your new computer.

3
Use a computer recycling or disposal firm. Today, many independent companies
exist for the purpose of processing, recycling, and disposing of computer waste.
Some are philanthropic organizations, some are non-profits, and some are for-profit.
Search for local companies in your area - you may be able to dispose of your
computer for free or may need to pay a disposal fee, depending on which types of
services are available.
However, note that, like computer manufacturers, some e-waste

recycling and disposal companies have less-than-stellar business practices. Be a

responsible consumer by researching the companies you choose for your disposal
needs. Make sure your computer will not end up in a landfill in China before handing
it over.

4
Salvage any usable parts before disposal. Before disposing of your computer,
consider whether you have any uses for the case, accessories, or any internal
components. For instance, if disposing of several computers of the same model, you
might consider using the cases as oversize building blocks for a makeshift bookcase
or wall of cubbyholes.
Ad

Readers are asking for your help!

Can you tell us about

pest control?

Yes I can

Can you tell us about

e-commerce?

Yes I can

Can you tell us about

piercings?

Yes I can

Can you tell us about

body manipulation?

Yes I can

Tips
Do any of the above steps, but just don't throw that computer into the trash.

Computers are not biodegradable, and your contribution of an unwanted PC will

seriously damage the environment.
Ad

Warnings

Sensitive personal information can remain on your computer even after

deleting it!Because of the way digital data is organized on hard drives, any data you
delete isn't actually gone until it gets overwritten, sometimes multiple times. Before
you get rid of your computer, either remove the hard drive and mount it in a case to
use as a spare external, wipe the drive yourself using software made for that
purpose, or destroy the hard drive.

In order to wipe the data yourself, download software that permanently

deletes and overrides your data. A good example of this is Darik's Boot & Nuke,
although there are others that will do the job just as well. This tool will erase your
data with multiple passes via a bootable CD to make sure it cannot be recovered.
Just make sure you've backed up your data before running this program, because
there's no going back from here! http://www.dban.org/

If you really want to be sure the data on the hard drive is safe, whack
the platters with a hammer so they cannot be spun. It can be a fun way of releasing

some excess aggression, too! Note: the screws are usually Torx screws, which
require a special tool to remove.
If you want to be really, really sure your data is safe, you can send your

hard drive to a company that can either wipe it for you or shred it. And no, "shred it"
isn't some fancy hacker buzzword; they literally feed it into what amounts to a megawood-chipper.
While we're talking about data, don't forget to remove any other storage

devices such as CDs, DVDs, SD cards, and USB flash drives.

If you choose to recycle your obsolete computer because it is faulty or beyond

re-use, check with your nominated recycling company to ensure that they physically
recycle the equipment themselves and that in doing so, your equipment will not be
exported to another continent as a working unit. This way, you will not be adding to
the mountains of waste that have been exported to other continents for unethical
recycling.

Related wikiHows

How to

Choose Your First Computer

How to

Ground Yourself to Avoid Destroying a Computer with Electrostatic Discharge

How to

Build a Computer

Sources and Citations

US resources:

Chicago Computers for Schools

Alameda County, California Computer Resource Center

California IWMB Recycler Locator

California Computer Recycling Center

Oregan FreeGeek

Recycle a PC

Computer Recycling for Houston, TX

Worldwide resources:

Old Computer Museum

World Computer Exchange

Metareciclagem - Brasil

Article Info
Featured Article

Categories: Featured Articles | Reduce Recycle and Reuse

Recent edits by: WikiHow Intern, Colecrane, Joe Forte
In other languages:
Deutsch: Einen alten Computer sicher entsorgen, Espaol: Cmo deshacerte de una
computadora sin peligro, Italiano: Come Sbarazzarsi di un Vecchio Computer in
Modo Sicuro, Portugus: Como Se Livrar de um Computador Antigo de Forma
Segura, :

RELATED ARTICLES
In the Beginning, There Was
Kaypro
(Requires Flash plug-in from Macromedia)

Where Do Computers Go When They

Die?

If You Can Bring Yourself to Part

With It . . .

By CAREY GOLDBERG

10 Uses for a Dead

Computer

f Americans treated dead people the way they treat

dead computers, their basements and closets
would be cluttered with family corpses. Under
many a desk, there would be a cadaver crammed
into the arch meant for knees. Whole warehouses and
offices would function as ad hoc mausoleums.

1. Fish tank. But its a lot

of work to make it
waterproof.

2. Litter box. If your kitty

isnt too picky.

3. Decoration. Chips and

And only the diligent few, whether out of conscience

or lack of space, would dispose of the departed
properly. The rest, unable to let go or to find a proper
resting place, would offer excuses like, "He cost me so
much money in life. I can't accept that he's worthless
now!" and, "She was a formative influence in my
youth. How can I dump her?"
Of course, it makes about as much sense to do nothing
with antiquated computers as it did for the eccentric
family in John Irving's "Hotel New Hampshire" to
stuff their dead little dog and keep him around the
house long after his barking and fetching days were
past.
Yet researchers believe that roughly 14 million to 20
million computers are retired each year in this country,
and of those, a 1995 Tufts University thesis estimated,
nearly 75 percent are simply stockpiled, taking their
place on obscure shelves, under Ping-Pong tables, in
unused offices, in hallways.
Only 10 percent to 15 percent of them will be re-used
or recycled, studies indicated, and 15 percent end up
in landfills.

circuit boards can be

made into earrings and
clipboards.

4. Gold mine. Many 60s

units used a fair amount
of gold.

5. Furniture. Use it as
doorstop or high-tech
hassock.

6. Reincarnation. Use it
to play old games or
upgrade it to use as a
backup device or
personal Web server.

7. Planet saver. Recycle it

and feel noble.

8. Source of cash. But not

much. Sell it to a
secondhand-computer
shop.

9. Gift. If its still

breathing, donate it to a
good cause or give it to
a friend or relative.

10. Boat anchor.

True, those numbers are changing, say many involved

The New York Times
in the burgeoning businesses of giving old computers
new life. In the last few years, thousands of computer reselling and recycling
outfits have cropped up around the country, a recent Rand Corp. report said.

And the stream those resellers and recyclers depend on -- of functional but dulledged castoffs -- has swollen as the typical active life span of a new computer in its
original work setting has shrunk to as little as two or three years.
The companies that funnel older computers to schools and to the technologically
needy have been multiplying and are becoming an increasingly national
phenomenon, spurred by new tax incentives and the sheer volume of discards.
Whole directories on the Internet list groups that take old computers. One of the
largest such funnelers, the Detwiler Foundation, based in San Diego, has already
placed 37,000 computers in California schools and is branching out into at least
nine other states. The federal government is running a program, Computers for
Learning, to place hundreds of thousands of old government computers in schools.
"When you're flushing a million computers out every year, they disappear like ink
into blotting paper," said Clive Smith, chief executive officer of New Deal, a
Cambridge, Mass., company specializing in software that lets older computers act
like newer ones. "When you're flushing 10 million a year, the market mechanisms
have to emerge to deal with it."
And emerging they are. But the juiciest mystery inherent in "closetware," as some
call the squirreled-away old computers, is why it has taken so long, and why, even
now, so few older computers are promptly resold or donated.
Certainly, those in the business say, owners'
emotional attachment to old computers plays a role.
At the East West Education Development
Foundation, a Boston nonprofit company that
refurbishes and supplies old computers to good
causes, the president, Stephen Farrell, said that for
donors who bring in their obsolete machines, "it's like
bringing your dog to be euthanized -- it's really hard
to part with."
Brigitte Jordan, a corporate anthropologist and
principal scientist at Xerox's research center in Palo
Alto, Calif., speculated that owners' attachments to
Credit: Keith Meyers / The New York Times
their computers went beyond even the powerful
Computers await meltdown.
attachments they can form to their cars, in part
because computers are so much more interactive and
in part because the machines can become repositories of parts of their owners'
lives.
Of her own first computer, Ms. Jordan said: "It had not only my work on it but my
poems and stories on it. It had on it a sort of snapshot of my life at that time, and

when I got a new machine, not all of that got transferred. Somehow, in the
transition from one machine to another, some piece of my life got lost. It's like
losing a photo album."
Personal attachments to personal computers are one thing; professional ones are
another. Love of machine can be so great that operators of early computers, like the
room-size Univac, have been known to take them home when they were
decommissioned, said Oliver Strimpel, director of the Computer Museum in
Boston.
At the museum's Silicon Valley historical collection in Mountain View, Calif., he
said, "I've seen people hugging disk drives and computers like long-lost friends
they've spent big parts of their lives with."
Also seemingly at work in owners' clinging to their computers is a certain inability
to accept the harsh economic reality of computer depreciation -- the fact that a
machine that cost $3,000 just four years ago is now worth less than $100.
In 1991, H. Scott Matthews, then an undergraduate student at Carnegie Mellon
University, helped produce a study that predicted that by 2005, 150 million
computers would be cluttering the country's landfills. Last year, Matthews returned
to the much-quoted study, re-evaluated its predictions based on updated figures and
lowered that projection, to 55 million.
He and his co-authors cited the "second life" given computers by newly established
markets for recycled electronic goods as a central reason for the revised estimate.
But the biggest reason for the change, he said, was something else: "I think the
fundamental behavioral issue we did not consider in the first paper, that we do
now, is that people don't want to throw away anything that they think has value. If
you have something you paid a couple of thousand of dollars for, you're going to
have a hard time throwing it away, even if you don't use it anymore."
Especially if it still works fine. But aren't
Americans supposed to be experts at throwing
things away?
"This is the opposite of the disposable society,"
said Matthews, now a doctoral candidate in
economics at Carnegie Mellon's Green Design
Initiative. "This is the attic society."

Credit: Ed Quinn for The New York Times

Scott Cole of Boston with old mice.

Robert Dangelmeyer, a service manager for the

Digital Equipment Corp., said that according to four computer-price databases he
had examined, computers tended to lose 80 percent of their market value in the

first year after purchase. Then their worth levels out for a year or so, he said,
before plunging practically to zero.
That hurts both individuals and institutions or businesses. In 1993, said Kenneth D.
Campbell, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the
university bought a supercomputer for its Laboratory for Computer Science that at
that point was the 17th-most-powerful computer in the world. It cost $3.8 million.
When the computer, the CM5, was shut down four years later, still the 497th-mostpowerful computer in the world, he said, the best offer the university could get for
it was $750. It decided to donate it to the Computer Museum instead.
Museums and collectors, however, generally seek only rare and historically
valuable computers. Strimpel, of the Computer Museum, said that any machine
produced before 1960 was generally worth preserving; some from the 1960s, like
the IBM System 360 series, are and some aren't. From TRS-80s on up, there is
usually little collecting interest in garden-variety computers.
That means most of the tens of millions of computers in America that have been
retired from their primary functions have no obvious monetary value.
Some creative types come up with novel uses for their old machines. Clifford Stoll,
a notoriously skeptical computer commentator, turned his Mac Plus into a
Macquarium, using plans posted on the Internet, and used a gutted 286 computer as
a cat litter box for a couple of years.
"It was flat, squat, pancake-shaped -- it worked well," Stoll said. "But it got too
stinky after a while, and it was cheaper to toss it out than clean it. A 286 computer
costs about the same as a kitty-litter box anyway -- about $5. My cats liked it,
though."
Whimsy aside, there do seem to be sensible answers to the riddle of what to do
with an obsolete computer, economists and computer professionals say.
One answer for individual users decommissioning
computers -- and for businesses -- is that whatever
owners do, they should do quickly, said
Dangelmeyer, of Digital, who has often
encountered hallways full of computers at
companies he has serviced.
"My perspective is, if it's in the hallway, you've
already made a mistake," he said. "If it's in the
hallway, now what do you do? People are ripping
off memory boards, saying, this is junk, and I
Credit: Keith Meyers / The New York Times

Computers stockpiled for reuse.

need an extra keyboard or a new mouse -- so all of a sudden, it's not a working
system anymore; it's been cannibalized.
"So now you need labor at between $40 and $230 an hour for a skilled technician
just to get them back in working order, and they're only worth $100 -- so you
turned something worth something into a liability," he said. And there is the issue
of further potential liability from sending a lot of computers, including leadcontaining monitors, to the dump.
Rather, Dangelmeyer recommended, computer buyers should pack up their old
computers in the boxes that come from the new ones and have a technician certify
that they are in good working order. Then they can either be sold to used-computer
dealers or recyclers or given to an organization like East West.
Only a handful of areas around the country -- including Somerville, Mass., and
Hennepin County, Minn., home to Minneapolis -- have special recycling programs
for computers, said Dawn Amore, senior program leader at the National Safety
Council's Environmental Health Center, which has a program to foster computer
re-use and recycling.
But more are exploring the idea, she said, and computer manufacturers, too, are
exploring ways to design computers so they are easier to re-use and recycle. Many
also accept their old computers back from buyers for recycling, notably IBM,
which also has a program in environmentally friendly design.
But economically, recycling is still of limited appeal.
"There's no economic incentive to empty out the closet," said Joe Pucciarelli,
research director for the Gartner Group. "Computers sell for 3 1/2 cents a pound
for mixed electronics, and it costs more money to drive it to the recycler than it's
worth."
Indeed, at the Electronic Product Recovery and Recycling Conference last year,
run by the National Safety Council, participants noted that a typical 386-based
computer had a resale value of $10 to $20, a component value of $5 and a zero net
value for plastics and glass.
But there can still be life in them there silicon-based bones, and good-deed points
for those who pass them on.
Smith, of New Deal, offered this simple arithmetic: There are fewer than 7 million
computers in American schools for a total of 51 million students. Analysts say
there are 33 million older 286 and 386 computers around, not to mention millions
of 486s that many people are now discarding in favor of Pentium machines.

If most people donated their older computers -- and schools could be convinced
that with souped-up, point-and-click software, they were more than adequate for
teaching computer literacy, Internet browsing and school subjects -- the United
States could approach a one-to-one student-computer ratio much faster, he said.
"And there are 14 million kids in 8 million households below the poverty line,"
Smith said. "Do you think they're going to get a trickle-down Pentium any time
soon?"

After Dump, What Happens To Electronic

Waste?
December 21, 201012:28 PM ET
NPR STAFF

Listen to the Story

Fresh Air
36 min 20 sec
Playlist
Download
Transcript

i
In this file photo from 2001, a migrant child sits atop a pile of unrecyclable computer
waste imported to Guiya, China, from other countries.
Basal Action Network

Web Resources

Basel Action Network

A Global Graveyard for Dead Computers in Ghana
Many people will receive a new computer or cell phone this holiday
season and throw out their old equipment. And when old TVs and
computers end up in landfills, the toxic metals and flame retardants they
contain can cause environmental problems.
Yet even recycling your e-waste, as it's called, does not always mean
you're doing the right thing.
"The dirty little secret is that when you take [your electronic waste] to a
recycler, instead of throwing it in a trashcan, about 80 percent of that
material, very quickly, finds itself on a container ship going to a country
like China, Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Pakistan where very dirty things
happen to it," says Jim Puckett, the executive director of the Basel Action
Network, which works to keep toxic waste out of the environment.
Recyclers can make money from selling scavenged metal from electronic
equipment, says Puckett, but the process to retrieve usable metals is
typically extremely toxic. Workers who remove the metals often have no
protective equipment and breathe in high levels of toxic chemicals, which
are then released into the atmosphere. And most of the countries where
the processing takes place China, India, Ghana, Pakistan do not
have regulations in place to protect workers or prevent the primitive
recycling operations.

i
Jim Puckett is the executive director of the Basal Action Network, which monitors
electronic waste around the globe.
Basal Action Network

Related NPR Stories

All Tech Considered

How To Erase Old Hard Drives Without A Drill Bit
E-Waste Law: Manufacturers Pay For RecyclingFeb. 2, 2009
E-Cycling: Where Cell Phones Go to Die Feb. 11, 2008
Environmentalists Teach Dos and Don'ts of E-Waste Jan. 10, 2008
Puckett describes a trip he took, to Guiya, China, in December 2001 as a
"cyber-age nightmare."
"It's the only part of the world where you'll go and see thousands of
women on any given day that are sitting ... basically cooking printed
circuit boards," he says. "As a result, they're breathing all of the
brominated flame retardants and the lead and tin that are being heated
up. You smell it in the air. You get headaches as soon as you enter this
area. It really is quite sad."