| Computers are now a major part of every day | | | | offering a free return service for their old |
| life in the 21st Century and as technology | | | | computers, (DELL for example), so you could |
| advances and prices drop, more and more | | | | possibly return the computer to the |
| computers and IT equipment are replaced on a | | | | manufacturer, and many other firms |
| regular basis leaving the question of what | | | | specialising in the sales of computers may |
| happens to the old ones. | | | | even take your old one when you purchase a |
| | | | new one so it is always worth asking. |
| According to Waste Online, the market for | | | | |
| refurbished computers has risen by 500% in | | | | Take it to a Recycling Centre |
| recent years and yet less than 20% of | | | | |
| unwanted computers are recycled. In the UK | | | | You could take your old computer to an |
| alone, around a million tonnes of electronic | | | | established waste disposal facility to |
| and electrical waste is produced and computer | | | | recycle it. First you should check what they |
| equipment makes up nearly 40% of this waste | | | | can accept and whether or not they will take |
| and up till now, a large proportion of it | | | | care of removing files and personal data from |
| ended up in Landfill sites or was | | | | the computer's hard drive. Even if your |
| incinerated. This poses a major threat to the | | | | computer isn't in good working order, it can |
| environment and our health as computers are | | | | often be repaired and upgraded to the point |
| laden with toxic material and as such, are | | | | it is useful for someone else. If this is the |
| considered hazardous waste. Monitors for | | | | case then it is wise to check beforehand that |
| example, contain a lot of lead. | | | | they comply with the Electrical Equipment |
| | | | (Safety Regulations) 1994 which requires that |
| New regulations have been introduced in order | | | | all the equipment must be safe to use. |
| to limit the amount of electronic and | | | | |
| electrical waste, which includes computer and | | | | Donating your computer to someone else |
| IT equipment, ending up in landfill sites. | | | | |
| | | | Most computers can be reused by someone else |
| Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment | | | | so another option is to donate the computer |
| (WEEE) Regulations 2006 | | | | to a non profit organisation or an |
| | | | organisation specialising in the |
| The regulations came into force on the 2nd | | | | re-distribution of computers, possibly to |
| January 2007 and will be fully implemented | | | | schools or third world countries. If you have |
| from the 1st July 2007 and require that | | | | any software that you want to donate with the |
| anyone manufacturing, branding or importing | | | | computer, try to get together all the |
| electrical and electronic equipment which | | | | relevant licences and supporting |
| came on the market after 13th August 2005 | | | | documentation. An important point is to find |
| will be responsible for the safe and | | | | out what will happen to the computer when it |
| environmentally friendly disposal of that | | | | needs disposed of if, particularly if it may |
| equipment. | | | | end up in a third world country as there is |
| | | | no point in protecting the environment at |
| This means they will have to fund the cost of | | | | home only to pollute it somewhere else. |
| collecting, treating and recycling all | | | | |
| electrical and electronic equipment and by | | | | Protection of Data |
| the 15th March 2007 should have already | | | | |
| registered with a compliance scheme in order | | | | A major concern when recycling computers is |
| to carry this out. By April 2007 they must | | | | what happens to sensitive and personal data |
| mark their goods with a crossed wheelie bin | | | | that could be present on the hard drive. Most |
| symbol meaning it must not be disposed of | | | | organisations specialising in redistributing |
| along with other household rubbish. | | | | or reselling old computer equipment will |
| | | | ensure that your hard drive is reformatted |
| So what options do you as a consumer have | | | | and all personal data erased but you should |
| when you no longer require your old computer? | | | | always check that this is the case. If you |
| | | | are more technically minded you can, if you |
| Disposing of Computers | | | | prefer, clean your computer yourself |
| | | | beforehand. If your computer has been used |
| If you want to get rid of an old computer or | | | | for business purposes then under the Data |
| computer parts then you basically have a | | | | Protection Act, all information collected by |
| number of options: | | | | businesses must be destroyed when the storage |
| | | | system it was kept on (your computer's hard |
| Sell it | | | | drive for example) is no longer being used by |
| | | | the business. |
| If your computer is in good working order | | | | |
| then you could ask around for anyone who is | | | | Conclusion |
| looking for a low cost PC, or perhaps put an | | | | |
| advert in the local newspaper or in your | | | | As responsible citizens we all have an |
| local shop windows. This way everyone wins as | | | | obligation to make sure that our computer and |
| the computer is reused by someone else, you | | | | IT related equipment is disposed of in a safe |
| get something for it, and it doesn't harm the | | | | and environmentally friendly way. In order to |
| environment. | | | | be sure that this is the case, it is |
| | | | essential only to use companies and |
| Returning your computer to the manufacturer | | | | organisations that are fully licensed with |
| | | | the appropriate governing bodies. |
| An increasing number of companies are | | | | |