The Why’s and How’s of Computer Equipment Disposal
Technology is ever changing, evolving at rates that once were unimaginable. It can seem as if the computer you purchase today is considered old and obsolete within just a matter of months. Every time you turn around there is something smaller, savvier, faster, with better memory, and upgraded features on the market. With the constant development of better technology comes the constant retiring of yesterdays technology; so what are you to do with your old devices when you have upgraded?
Why Worry?
There are several reasons to be concerned about what happens to your old devices when you are finished with them. The two greatest concerns are the environment and the risk of identity theft.
Many consumers are not aware that inside of their computer, monitor, or other devices is what could be considered hazardous waste if not disposed of properly. For example, a color computer monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead; a computer can contain hazardous materials such as mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent. Among the risks when exposed to these materials are; lead poisoning, high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, nerve and brain damage, and cancer. Due to the dangers involved with having these devices laying around in public landfills, it is important to dispose of your equipment responsibly.
Besides environmental concerns, a risk of not properly disposing of your equipment is identity theft. According to the FTC, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the Unites States. Information such as names, addresses, bank and credit card information, and social security numbers can be obtained from old computer systems not properly disposed of. Having your identity stolen can damage your good name and wreck havoc on your credit report. Victims of identity theft have dealt with such effects as being denied loans or credit, lost job opportunities, been harassed by credit agencies, and even been arrested for crimes they did not commit. Recovering from identity theft can be both time consuming and costly.
Due to these and other risks, the government is beginning to set regulations for corporations regarding their disposal processes. As an individual however, how do you protect yourself and the environment when disposing of your old equipment?
Responsible Disposal Options
Simply throwing old computers and monitors in the garbage, as we have seen, is not desirable as an option for disposal. For companies as well as individuals, just storing old equipment is not always a viable option either; over time this takes up a considerable amount of space and is inconvenient. The better options are to reuse the equipment in some way, recycle the equipment, or trade it in.
Regardless of which of the responsible options you choose to dispose of your equipment, if it will be leaving your possession you will want to remove all your information and programs from the hard drive first or completely remove the hard drive; simply reformatting the hard drive is not sufficient to remove all sensitive information stored on it. Possibly the best way to make sure that every sector and all information is cleared, is to hire a professional technician. However there are also utilities designed to overwrite every sector of the hard drive; in order to be sure that the overwrite is successful and meets government standards, it should be done with binary 1s and 0s and repeated on each sector multiple times.
Reuse
Reusing the equipment could consist of selling or donating it to a party that can use it or finding a use for it in your own home or business; regardless, it should be data free before you repurpose the equipment. Some ideas for selling or donating an old system could be selling on auction sites such as e-bay or amazon.com, or listing it for sale on craigslist, although, be aware that old equipment may not be worth much so you should calculate the cost of listing (if there is one), shipping, and your time, before going this route. When donating a system you might consider local churches, preschools, schools, youth programs, or elderly persons that may not have a system; in some cases your donation may be tax deductable. Finally, you could find personal uses for an old system, such as using the old system strictly for gaming purposes, using it as your digital jukebox, networking it with your new computer to create a Local Access Network, using it as a non-internet connected system for more sensitive and secure tasks, passing it along to the children in the family for their system, using it as a print server, or taking parts from several old systems and building your own new system.
Recycle
Depending on where you live and what your state regulations, recycling computers can be either very easy or somewhat difficult. In addition, there may be a fee associated with recycling old equipment. If a computer is so out of date that it can not be reused or if it is broken, recycling may be the only option.
The internet is a great resource for finding computer recycling options. A Google search for “Computer Recycling” will turn up many results and options. Among these options are finding a local recycling program, manufacturer and retailer programs, and government supported recycling programs. For more information on these types of programs visit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Trade-In
Some technology companies now offer trade-in programs. This is a nice option because you can get rid of your outdated equipment in exchange for new technology, while allowing the company to worry about the disposal or recycling of your old unit.
Again, a simple Google search for “Computer Trade In” can turn up several options for trading in your old equipment. One such site TigerDirect.com offers computer trade-ins. You simply fill out an online estimate form, once the estimate is complete you print a shipping label to use to ship your equipment and they in turn give you a gift certificate to use at their web store to apply towards the purchase of new equipment. There are several other companies that offer similar programs that you can find and access on the web. Always be sure to fully read and understand the terms and conditions before participating in a trade-in program. When purchasing a new computer, be sure to ask the retailer if they offer a trade-in program for when you are ready to upgrade.
Worth the Cost
While there may be some financial cost, time, and inconvenience involved, you can see that properly disposing of your computer and technical hardware is worth the resources spent; it protects the environment and you from potentially much larger costs in the end.
For professional assistance in responsibly disposing of your equipment please contact J.P. Schwartz, Inc., (303) 482-1242.
|
