RSSDell Pushes for Tech Recycling
By David Worthington | Published April 10, 2003, 10:02 PM
Each year unwanted technology comes to rest in landfills - with cadmium, lead and mercury making up some of its core components. If not properly disposed of, these toxic substances pose serious health risks.
Unfortunately, decades have passed were this trend has gone largely unnoticed as technology take-up steadily increases. Industry giant Dell Computer has taken up the task of recycling old hardware through a nationwide tour and home delivery program.
Since Dell made the recycling offer available to consumers last October, "the ratio of recycling to donation has been about 2:1," said company spokesperson Jennifer Jones. She went on to say that Dell does not landfill materials overseas, and abides by stringent guidelines to process environmentally sensitive materials.
Equipment well past its organizational lifespan is either donated to the National Cristina Foundation -- an organization dedicated to providing technology as a tool for develop human potential -- traded in, or simply broken down for reuse.
Columbus, Ohio was Dell's latest stop on its Recycling Nation Tour across the United States. Residents dropped off 30 tons of obsolete "technology equipment ranging from desktops and monitors to mainframe computers." This places Dell well on its way of reaching the tour's stated goal of 100 tons with 72 collected at last count.
Non-sensitive materials including glass and aluminum, which make up the majority, are grinded down into the finest possible particles to re-enter the supply chain.
For consumers unable to take advantage of the recycling tour, Dell has established a low-cost, home delivery system where interested parties can register online to dispose of unwanted desktops, monitors, as well as select peripherals. As of last month, customers seeking to buy a new printer from Dell can recycle their old model free of cost.
The ecological problems posed by technology waste have prompted some nations to require mandatory recycling, while others simply encourage increased social responsibility. Some European nations have already passed stringent laws pioneering technology waste disposal. The United States, the greatest generator of e-waste according to the EPA, continues to tackle the issue.
Dell itself backs industry led initiatives over government mandated programs.
Dell's Jones told BetaNews, "As a customer direct company, we think we can accomplish recycling more effectively through Dell developed programs than through government mandated programs, and generally Dell believes that industry led, market-based programs can be more effective and customer friendly than government mandated ones."
Leading OEMS and retailers such as Best Buy have already established such programs that have contributed a measure of success. In addition, secondary markets have formed including a recycled electronic goods market, and a research and development push to design "green machines."
From the title, I was hoping they would help unemployed computer technicians find work again! :O C'mon employers, recycle those techies :O
Score: 0
|I think the government should require a
pre-charge refundable environment fee (say 15dollars)
for every computer sold.
and the fee can be returned to consumers when they return their computers along with original receipt.
...Kinda like what the government (in Canada) is doing with Pop cans and juice boxes.
In that way, both consumers and computer retailers won't lose money.
Score: 0
|They just want the gold from the contacts back.
I am told in a 486 there is an enough gold to make it worth melting down.
Score: 0
|But don't give Dell too much credit. For years, computer recycling meant shipping waste to foreign countries like China, where it was dismantled by individuals without proper training or equipment. They're melting components over open fires, being exposed to all sorts of horrible chemicals, to get metals which they can sell. They then dump the waste in their drinking water supplies.
Dell is going charge a fee of $15 to recycle each unit. I understand there are costs to recycle, but that $15 is going to be a block for many people.
Additionally, Dell is using prison labor to do some of this recycling domestically. The problem with this is that it doesn't allow a real e-recycling industry to develop.
Some links:
www.toxicdude.org
www.cwa.org
www.ban.org
http://www.computertakeback.com/
Score: 0
|If people turn in their old machines to dell, then they won't be throwing them out on the street, and i won't be able to come along and take them for parts! Sheesh! what is dell trying to do to me, make me BUY my spare parts?
Score: 0
|i hear ya, my computer that i am running has 7 harddrives 4 SCSI from old macs, a scsi card, a pile of muffin fans.
All scavenged from old computers. I would have more but i ran out space, pci slots and this motherboard doesn't have ISA. (i would have like 12 HD if i had more IDE chains.)
Score: 0
|Hey sign me up I got one of your pices of trash Laptop You want it back DELL?. Give me your address I will ship it to You.
Score: 0
|laptop.. oh to just get one would be nice... trash to some treasure to others.
Score: 0
|Agreed, I am shocked that EPA don't have any restrictions out yet. Just like how I have to separate my plastic and paper why not have one more for electronics. We throw away good few hundred pounds of stuff each year and if everyone started to recycle it would really help the MOTHER EARTH.
Score: 0
|God may be my Father, but the earth ain't my mother... ;-)
Score: 0
|if you don't want it p05ta1 I will be more than happy to take if off your hands and rather than pay 15 bucks plus shipping charges I'll even pay for the postage on it and not charge you a dime. ;)
Score: 0
|