How to get rid of old PCs and CRTs?

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:39 pm

We've got a few old CRTs and very old PCs kicking around that we'd like to get rid of.

This site offers to pay shipping when you send them your e-waste. If your waste is new enough (and can be sold as used), it looks like they'll give you in-store credit at Costco for it. It sounds like a good deal, and they'll even accept worthless hardware and CRTs. If you happen to be in Boca Raton, FL, it looks like you can drop the stuff off in person.

Obviously, they make money when you turn in something new enough for them to sell on eBay, and they lose a huge amount of money when you send them a CRT. So why do they accept CRTs? And who's funding the project, or does the project pay for itself?

I'd like to know of any other companies offering to accept eWaste. I'd be thrilled if I could drop off my CRTs locally for proper disposal, even if I had to pay a few bucks for the service.

PretzelB · Post by **PretzelB** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:45 am

Interesting. I'd also love to know about more sites like this. Many times I just want to donate the equipment to someone who can FIND a use for it or at the very least dispose of it properly.

Post by **CA_Steve** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:51 am

More states/counties are providing free or low fee recycling for e-waste. Have you looked for that? I'm lucky that we have a local group that takes in old PCs for re-use.

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:57 am

More states/counties are providing free or low fee recycling for e-waste.

yes, but where does it actually end up?

http://www.physorg.com/news114622098.html

Post by **CA_Steve** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:37 pm

Here's a guy trying to do the right thing, and then Jaganath throws the skunk on the table.

Yes, there are insanely bad implementations of e-cycling going on...but better to attempt to recycle and re-use than to just toss the stuff in the landfill, eh?

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 1:48 pm

better to attempt to recycle and re-use than to just toss the stuff in the landfill, eh?

re-use, yes. there are plenty of old machines that could be given a new lease of life as Linux boxes or fileservers. however, it is most definitely better in landfill than being burnt in the open air or dumped in an acid bath and then into the local river, which is exactly what happens in China and India which is where the majority of e-waste ends up and where the majority of the so-called "recyclers" wouldn't recognise health and safety regulation if it bit them in their lead-poisoned behinds.

just because you have good intentions, doesn't mean it will have a good result. road to hell and all that....

bryan_d · Post by **bryan_d** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 2:47 am

jaganath wrote:
better to attempt to recycle and re-use than to just toss the stuff in the landfill, eh?
re-use, yes. there are plenty of old machines that could be given a new lease of life as Linux boxes or fileservers. however, it is most definitely better in landfill than being burnt in the open air or dumped in an acid bath and then into the local river, which is exactly what happens in China and India which is where the majority of e-waste ends up and where the majority of the so-called "recyclers" wouldn't recognise health and safety regulation if it bit them in their lead-poisoned behinds.

just because you have good intentions, doesn't mean it will have a good result. road to hell and all that....

Quite true,

I used to be so happy about dropping off my old electronics at "recyclers" only to find out where they actually go:)

But there are still better recyclers than others, for instance here is a link for better recyclers:

http://www.computertakeback.com/the_sol ... rs_map.cfm

It is also great to know that American's are being employed for the management of waste; and hopefully due to working in America, they can have a safe and a decent paying job.

bryan d

DaveLessnau · Post by **DaveLessnau** » Mon Dec 10, 2007 5:54 am

If the stuff still works, you could always donate it to Goodwill or something like that. They can either use it or sell it dirt cheap to someone who really needs something.

verdantcomputing · Post by **verdantcomputing** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:20 pm

If the equipment is still good, making sure it gets reused is a great idea. You can donate it through the National Cristina Foundation (http://www.cristina.org/) who will find a good home for it. You can also try places such as Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org/) or Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/).

If the equipment no longer has any useful life, recycling it is the way to go. There are a lot of places you can mail it in, but Earth911 (http://www.earth911.org/) has a searchable database of local places you can take it.

Matija · Post by **Matija** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:56 pm

It's easy here in Croatia - leave it outside on the street, and the gypsies will pick it up and know what to do with it.

Michael Sandstrom · Post by **Michael Sandstrom** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 12:11 am

Matija wrote:It's easy here in Croatia - leave it outside on the street, and the gypsies will pick it up and know what to do with it.

I remember hearing of a trash collection strike one year shortly before Christmas in New York City. People took to gift wrapping the trash and leaving the packages in cars to be stolen!

VanWaGuy · Post by **VanWaGuy** » Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:31 am

We have had a few groups from work go volunteer to help with the recycling of computers here (and I am trying to find more time to get down there more often):

http://www.freegeek.org/