Recycle Old Hardware the "Green" Way

By Lamont Wood

July 24, 2006

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For system builders, knowing how to properly recycle or dispose of hardware systems is becoming as important as knowing how to purchase them. There are an estimated 750+ million PCs in use worldwide. With the useful life of a PC no more than five years, all those machines, plus the ones that replace them, will eventually become trash--a lot of trash.

Unwanted computers are an environmental problem. Computer components contain heavy metals, including lead, mercury, chromium and cadmium. Without recycling, these toxic metals can accumulate in landfills and pollute nearby drinking water.

Doing your part is more than a "feel good" issue. Increasingly, requests for quotations from large buyers are concerned not only with acquisition, but also with subsequent disposition. Dell, for example, recently announced it would recycle all its computers for free. Similarly, Apple has said it will offer free recycling with Mac purchases.

The time may soon arrive when system builders will need to line up their disposal chain, just as they now must line up a supply chain. If you do business in the U.S. states of California, Maine, Maryland, or Washington, that time has already arrived. These states have enacted strict laws regarding electronics recycling.

Even if you're not bound by the law (yet), you probably have e-scrap you want to clear out of the shop, or you may wish to offer your customers an environmentally-friendly way to haul away their old systems. But be aware that if you're thinking of making decent money off your scrap, don't count on it. Businesses that regularly dump 20-ton shipping containers filled with the stuff can make a small profit--and they're lucky to get $60 a ton. Most firms must hire someone to take the stuff away.

Similarly, it's probably too soon to consider making PC recycling your main business. The field is going through a rapid consolidation, according to David Daoud, a market analyst at research firm. Recyclers must be able to guarantee service, including compliance with all applicable environmental laws, and must carry loads of liability insurance.

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