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