What To Do with Old Computers

Q. I just got a new computer over the holidays to replace my slow, prehistoric clunker. What can I do with the old PC besides toss it down the garbage chute or fling it into a landfill? <br><br>A. First

Wednesday, January 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Q. I just got a new computer over the holidays to replace my slow, prehistoric clunker. What can I do with the old PC besides toss it down the garbage chute or fling it into a landfill?

A. First of all, dumping obsolete computers in landfills or incinerators is a big no-no because some of the components inside computers contain toxic materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium.

Second of all, you're not alone. The growth of the computer industry and the fast pace at which PCs become outdated have created a glut of obsolete machines, giving rise to a new environmental issue.

A recent study by the National Safety Council's Environmental Health Center estimated that 20 million personal computers became obsolete in the U.S. in 1998, but only 14 percent were recycled or reused. The NSC estimates that another 250 million will become outdated within the next five years.

Europe requires computer makers to take back computers once they become outdated, said Jeremiah Baumann, environmental health advocate for U.S. Public Interest Research Group in Washington. But the United States lacks any sort of organized infrastructure for their proper disposal, he said.

For now, the best way to get rid of your computer is to give it to a charitable organization, school, community institution or person who can't afford the machine, said Mike Shapiro, a solid waste and emergency response official with the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington.

But if the computer is way past its prime, the next best alternative is to take it to a firm that specializes in dismantling PCs and recycling their parts, he said.

``Many of the chips, if they're no longer cutting-edge, can be used in other applications,'' Shapiro said. ``Their lifetime is virtually limitless.''

If you can't find such a facility near your community, you might want to try calling your local waste management agency, which usually sponsors hazardous material pickup days several times a year, said Baumann.

Also, some computer companies â€” including IBM, Sharp, Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Panasonic â€” accept unwanted computers, said Rob Nichols, spokesman for the Electronics Industries Alliance. The nonprofit organization in Arlington, Va., is a coalition of leading electronics manufacturers.

``The high-tech sector is the only sector where products increase in richness and functionality and they decrease in size and they decrease in cost,'' Nichols said. ``As more families enter the information age, there's a need to set up an infrastructure to reuse and dispose of these things.''

So if your computer manufacturer wants nothing to do with your old PC and you're having trouble finding a recycling facility or a worthy charity, Nichols said his organization is launching a Web site on Jan. 31 that may help.

The site, which will eventually have a separate URL, will include a series of frequently asked questions and a map of the country where consumers can click on their states and find nearby schools, charities and recyclers that will take outdated computer equipment.

``It's a new issue,'' said Nichols. '' A lot of folks are getting a second computer. It's just hitting us.''

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On the Net:

Electronic Industries Alliance: http://www.eia.org

U.S. Public Interest Group: http://www.pirg.org

Environmental Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov