How To Dispose Of E-waste Effectively

How To Dispose Of E-waste Effectively -
By: Neil Maycock

Environmental concerns play a bigger part in our life now then they ever did. One of these concerns is what to do with our electronic waste or e-waste. Computer recycling is the answer.

Rather than disposing of computer parts in land fills, computer recyclers can strip the workable parts of a computer and make working models, while others parts are safely disposed of. Below is a list of computer parts and the safest way to dispose of them.

There are a number of reasons why some computer users may be reluctant to recycle there old equipment:
Security Most computer recovery companies offer a service called data wiping. They will completely erase any data on disk drives or components for your security
Number Of Items Bulk Items can be collected by a collection agency. This will solve any transportation problems when recycling computer parts.

CRT Monitors Perhaps one of the most difficult computer part to dispose of safely is the CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitor. The problem with crt monitors is the amount of lead in them. There is over four pounds of lead in them. In most countries now it is illegal to dispose of electronic waste at landfills. There are few obvious reasons for this, one of them is that the lead can actually poison drinking water. The best option is to contact a computer recycling program who can take your old monitor off your hands. These are usually donated to charities or schools, and in some situations you may even receive cash for your old equipment.

Cadmium Those unwanted chips and semi-conducters found in mainboards, memory and other electronic cards such as graphic cards contain a high level of cadmium. This has long life span of thirty years and can cause kidney problems. Computer recycling facilities are the safest way to dispose of these, without polluting the environment or risking human or animal life.

Other computer parts such as batteries, motherboards and components can contain Mercury. This is very harmful if not disposed of correctly. In fact it is alleged that this can be more poisonous than arsenic.

Most electronic recycling centers are very flexible in the way the handle collections. They can pickup, have drop in centers or in some areas, events are held where people can bring there electronic items to a designated area. This is very handy to business and universities who may want to dispose of items in bulk.


Environmental concerns play a bigger part in our life now then they ever did. One of these concerns is what to do with our electronic waste or e-waste. Computer recycling is the answer.

Neil Maycock writes articles on Canada Computer Recycling

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com