The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition CURRENT ISSUE :: OCTOBER 2003 :: PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY Junking Old PCs and Gadgets, Safely Recycling and Donation Programs Keep Toxic Trash Out of Landfills By Megan Ballinger WSJ.com Americans are drowning in once-jazzy junk-clunky phones, boxy computers, bulky monitors-but most don't know how to properly dispose of it. Thanks to the late '90s boom in computer ownership, hundreds of millions of PCs will become obsolete in the next few years. By 2005, mobile phones are expected to be discarded at a rate of 130 million per year. Only about 11% of retired computers are recycled, the EPA estimates, meaning tens of millions get thrown in the trash. In all, more than three million tons of electronic waste are buried in landfills a year. That's a big environmental hazard. TVs and computers can contain an average of four pounds of lead, as well as other toxins like chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel and zinc. Lead and brominated flame retardants are found in cellphones. Under pressure from environmental groups, computer makers and others have started to push recycling programs. Here's a look at some of the environmentally friendly options. Note that some programs are free or offer recycling incentives, but others charge fees. Also, while some gadgets may be recycled or given to nonprofit groups, others may be resold for a profit. Plus, make sure any concerns about your private hard-drive data are addressed. Personal Computers Many businesses and communities offer pick-ups for used PCs. Check with your local recycling center to find out. Donating your computer is another option. Some suggestions? Try the Salvation Army, Goodwill, local schools, churches, or chambers of commerce. Dell will pick up consumer equipment made by any manufacturer for $15 per 50-pound box. The Gateway Recycle Program offers up to $50 in rebates when you purchase a new Gateway PC and recycle or donate your old PC. Hewlett-Packard accepts equipment from any manufacturer, for a fee. It offers a rebate on new purchases when you send in an old computer. IBM charges $29.99 to recycle old computers or donate them to Gifts in Kind International. Apple takes PCs back for reuse or recycling for $30, including shipping. Apple provides a mailing label; customers provide their own box and take the packaged computer to a UPS drop-off for shipment. If you're thinking of donating a computer, consider StRUT (www.strut.org). Students Recycling Used Technology is a program where students evaluate and repair donated computers, and then in turn donate them to schools. Students learn valuable skills, and schools get free computers. If you decide to donate your computer, be sure to delete any personal information first. Be warned that when you delete files the standard way, the contents of the file may remain on the hard disk unless something is written over it. You have to overwrite the files, and even the free space, with nonsense data to be sure that the data are irretrievable. There are many file-wiping programs out there that do just that. One example is a program called Window Washer, from Webroot Software. Mobile Phones AT&T Wireless accepts free drop-offs of all brands of wireless phones and accessories at AT&T stores. Usable phones are refurbished for donation; the rest are recycled and proceeds given to Keep America Beautiful. Sprint Project Connect offers free drop-off of all brands of wireless phones at Sprint stores and some Easter Seals locations. Donations are recycled or resold, with a portion of the proceeds going to Easter Seals and the National Organization on Disability. Through the Verizon Wireless HopeLine Phone Recycling Program, customers can drop off used cell phones at retail store locations free of charge. With profits, Verizon purchases wireless phones for and donates airtime to victims of domestic violence. Most cellphone user manuals have directions for erasing the internal phone book. Or you can call customer service and they'll talk you through it. Other Gadgets Best Buy sponsors collection events around the country where consumers can bring TVs, computers and other electronics to the store to be recycled. Staples has bins for free drop-off for cellphones, PDAs, pagers and rechargeable batteries. The office-supply store partners with CollectiveGood to refurbish and resell phones that are reusable in developing countries, and recycle any electronics that can't be used again. A portion of the proceeds goes to the Sierra Club. Sony currently has electronics "take-back" programs in place in Minnesota and Connecticut and is hoping to implement the programs nationwide by 2005. Do you have a question about personal technology? Send us your response. Here are some links for further information on donating or recycling your electronics. > The Electronic Industries Alliance Consumer Education Initiative > EPA Ecycling Campaign > Call to Protect campaign for victims of domestic violence. > Sharing large files without clogging e-mail > Cutting the cord on keyboard and mouse > Freeing up the phone line while you're online > Car shopping on the Net > The new wave in wireless gadgets > One machine, many functions > Reining in the Net > Fed up with fraud > Napster got busted. Are you next? > Napster's founder speaks > Paid online music services > Foiling music pirates > Editorial: The Internet Tax Trap about us | contact us | subscribe | sponsor | advertise | privacy statement | home Copyright © 2003 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.