We ran across this Dilbert cartoon, and of course, being in the computer recycling industry, saved a copy. It got us wondering about what people do with their broken electronics.

First I googled “Broken computers for sale” and found a whole slew of people looking to purchase/take broken computers, and lots of other people with suggestions on where to find them. There are businesses centered around selling “cheap broken laptops for sale”.

They are all over craigslist and freecycle, two sites that we love for their ability to foster computer re-use. We hope that anyone using those sites understands how to erase their hard drive, or remove it completely. That goes for computers, as well as scanners, printers, fax machines, and smart phones.

Why would someone want your broken computer equipment?

Maybe for parts. Or they will repair and donate it. Or they collect the metals and try to recoup some value when they have enough. Or, they want your information left on your hard drive.

It’s the same for businesses that use non-certified recyclers. They aren’t all unscrupulous, but IT managers of any size company are taking a big chance when they use someone who is willing to take it for free, no questions asked. And no paperwork or certifications.

Households should call their town and ask when the electronic collection days are, and ask if they use certified electronic recyclers. If they offer a hard drive shredding service, take it. When AnythingIT shreds hard drives, what’s left is not recognizable as a hard drive, let alone recoverable.

The New York Times published an article this month about old cell phones and e-waste in general. In it, author Leyla Acaroglu touches on an important topic that often gets swept under the rug. The article mentions that there are a number of places in the world where their main source of income is smelting e-waste imported from the United States. There are entire towns in Africa, India, and China with mountains of U.S. computers waiting for young children, men, and women to break them open and pull the components.

Read the full article HERE

The CBS news show, 60 minutes, did an expose on the export of toxic e-waste and what it means to those nations. The cities that collect this waste have the highest cancer rates in the world. According to the NY Times article, “most scientists agree that exposure poses serious health risks, especially to pregnant women and children. The World Health Organization reports that even a low level of exposure to lead, cadmium and mercury (all of which can be found in old phones) can cause irreversible neurological damage and threaten the development of a child.”

The problem (one of many problems), is that the physical handling of toxic electronic waste is not confined to these impoverished nations. For years, the Federal Bureau of Prisons has used inmates to process e-waste, for a profit. The stance of these companies is one of righteousness; our e-waste stays in this country and puts our prisoners to good use. What is not being said is what are the safety precautions taken to ensure that our prisoners aren’t in contact with cadmium and lead? Are women, and more importantly, pregnant women, processing this equipment?

There are better, more qualified ways to process our e-waste. The Basel Convention, an international treaty that makes it illegal to export or traffic in toxic e-waste, has strict guidelines against the use of prison labor and certifies electronic recyclers, guaranteeing that not only does nothing end up in a landfill, but ensuring that the labor used in the process is safe.

See www.ban.org for certified e-steward recyclers in your area.

A recent article from slashgear.com (found HERE) says that although there is a big movement in the United States towards preventing electronic waste from ending up in a landfill, the federal government has offered almost no guidelines for recycling electronics.

According to the article, “Back in 2011, 460,000,000 pounds of electronics were recycled. The numbers for 2012 look even better when compared to the amount of electronics recycled in 2010 when only 300,000,000 pounds were collected. The CEA (Consumer Electronics Association) also notes that by the end of 2012, 99% of the recycling handled by initiative participants was conducted via third-party certified recycling facilities. The electronics recycling initiative has a lofty goal of responsibly recycling 1,000,000,000 pounds of electronics annually by 2016. It’s a good thing that the Consumer electronics Association and the participants in its initiative are taking the task of electronics recycling upon themselves, because there is still no federal recycling mandate for electronics.”

There was an Executive Order regarding federal electronic assets (government IT equipment) that states that government agencies should try to re-use their equipment, or recycle them through an R2 recycler. Although AnythingIT does process a number of large government agencies electronic waste, there was no order regarding the private sector.

This is particularly distressing to environmental activists, since the recovery of precious metals found in electronic devices can drastically reduce the amount we mine from the earth every year. One mobile phone battery contains 3.5 grams of copper. Recycling 6,000 mobile phones produces approximately 130kg of copper, and .34kg of gold.

Want more e-waste facts? Contact us.

Yesterday was Earth Day, a day that we should reflect on our contribution to saving the environment and living a more sustainable lifestyle.

At AnythingIT, we’re always conscious of our environmental responsibilities. Not only do we have a strict ‘zero landfill’ policy for the electronic equipment we process, but we also recycle the cardboard boxes and packing material we receive, the paper we use, and even the bottles and cans we drink from at lunch.

With more and more items becoming computerized (blenders, toys, scales, tools, etc…), the U.S. is generating more e-waste than ever before.

Here are some statistics:

On average:

• Cell phones are replaced every 22 months.
• Printers are replaced every 5 years.
• Desktop computers are replaced every 2 years.
• Americans spend approximately $120 every month on electronics.
• 81% of the energy associated with a computer is used during the manufacture, not during operation.

This last statistic clearly demonstrates the advantages of re-use, vs. recycling. Not only does it generate a better financial return for our clients, since we will handle the resale and return the value, but providing quality, used computers slows the need for new computers to be manufactured. It also helps span “the digital divide” and helps small businesses, schools, nonprofit agencies, and other countries purchase affordable computers.

Now for the bad news.

Every year, the world tosses out 20-50 million metric tons of electronics, and only recycles 10-18%.

What IT Managers may not realize is that even older equipment (that is too old for resale) still has precious metals in the electronic components. That means that even a broken laptop will still retain some value, and disposing of it properly doesn’t have to cost a thing.

Contact us to find out which environmental certifications you should look for in an electronics recycler for your business.

Or visit:

www.ban.org

www.treehugger.com

www.anythingit.com

Earth Day is Monday, April 22, 2013 and we are as committed as ever to spreading the word about e-waste and how to have a sustainable IT Asset Disposal program that benefits the environment and your budget.

On Tuesday, April 16^th, AnythingIT is hosting a free, 20 minute webinar- “How to have an environmentally and financially sustainable IT Disposal program“. Learn the environmental impact of not disposing of your corporate electronics properly, best practices for proper disposal, and how to have a sustainable IT disposal plan that doesn’t cost any more than throwing it away. In fact, there may even be a financial return.

Click HERE to add to your calendar.

1.  Please join my meeting.

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/586491517

2.  Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) – a headset is recommended.  Or, call in using your telephone.

Dial +1 (267) 507-0017

Access Code: 586-491-517

Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting ID: 586-491-517

Also on Tuesday, April 16^th, we will be exhibiting at the Northern New Jersey Sustainable Resources and Networking Forum from 5:00 – 8:00pm in Sparta, NJ.  Sustainable Jersey is partnering with the Sparta Green Team to present local resources that will help save energy and money.

Read more about the event HERE.

On Thursday, May 9, 2013, AnythingIT will be exhibiting at the Bergen County Utilities Authority Green Up trade show and exhibit in Paramus, NJ.  We are excited to meet other green businesses and help keep e-waste out of our local landfills.

Ever wondered how Earth Day started? This observance arose from an interest in gathering national support for environmental issues. In 1970, San Francisco activist John McConnell and Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson separately asked Americans to join in a grassroots demonstration. McConnell chose the spring equinox (March 21, 1970) and Nelson chose April 22. Millions of people participated, and today Earth Day continues to be widely celebrated with events on both dates. The most common practice of celebration is to plant new trees for Earth Day.