Where To Get Cash For Recycling Your Computer And Electronics
Most computer equipment circuit boards contain small amounts of precious metals such as gold, platinum, silver, copper, nickel, and aluminum. Recycling centers will sometimes pay for these items so that these metals can be reclaimed from the circuit boards. In addition, by recycling you can also help to create new jobs. According to a study done by the Institute for Self-Reliance, for every 10 thousand tons of reused materials, 296 jobs are created.
It also helps reduce the amount of heavy metals found in landfills in the U.S., with computers and other e-waste having been reported to account for nearly 70%. In California alone, it is estimated that the average consumer has two to three computers lying around their home, yet they have no idea what to do with them once they are no longer in use. Now, just think about those numbers on a national scale. If everyone just threw them away, instead of simply taking them to a local computer recycling center near them, there would an environmental disaster that would take years to rectify.
Recycling just one computer can have a tremendous impact on lowering e-waste pollution. And by doing so, you can help to create more jobs and a cleaner environment. So, do everyone a favor and take that old PC or Mac to a nearby computer recycling center today. Computers are here to make our lives easier today, so dont let them ruin our tomorrow.
Laptop Recycling: Why Do It
According to the book Recycling by Vigi Wagner, Manufacturing a desktop computer and 17-inch CRT monitor uses at least 240 kg of fossil fuels, 22 kg of chemicals and 1,500 kg of water a total of 1.8 tons of materials roughly the weight of a sports utility vehicle or a rhinoceros. The time for laptop recycling is now.
E-waste is increasing rapidly as you read this, while precious resources that can be found in discarded laptops are going to waste, and our landfills are poisoning our air and our bodies. We are upgrading and purchasing new computers faster than ever, yet the country is slow to handle its e-waste responsibly.
When you simply throw your laptop in the garbage, you are leaving the government and taxpayers to pick up the costs of your irresponsibility. About eighty-eight percent of laptops will go right into the landfills.
Recycling An Old Laptop Into A Smart Clock And More
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How To Recycle Old Computer Parts
If you have old computer parts that are no longer in working order, you can take them to recycling centers that accept e-waste. These recycling facilities specialize in recycling computer parts and other e-waste products. There are also retail stores that will accept your computer parts for recycling purposes.
How To Wipe A Chromebook:
Chromebooks are a lot easier than laptops because many of the files and apps youre already using have their data stored on the cloud, on . Getting the Chromebook to factory reset involves clicking on your account photo and opening the Settings menu. Scroll down to the Advanced section and look for the Powerwash section and icon. The process prompts a restart, during which all your personal information will be erased in its entirety.
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Donating To Your Local Goodwill
Another option for getting rid of an old computer is to donate it to a charity like Goodwill.
Goodwill has partnered up with Dell to provide a widespread computer recycling service. First, go to Dell Technologies recycling page.
Scroll down and select which recycling service you will need. This guide will select Home or home office.
On the next selections, choose PCs and laptops.
Select the Donate button under Donate to Dell Reconnect.
Scroll down and select Find a location.
In the next window, type in your zip code and select the search radius.
After selecting which participating Goodwill location you wish to donate to, click Driving Directions to view your route.
Removing Your Data And Files
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How To Recycle Computers
The key to recycling computers and other e-waste is efficient separation of materials. Once an old device has been accepted, processed, and stripped of data at a recycling center, the first step of recycling is often to remove any hazardous materials, such as batteries.
A conveyor belt may carry the computer to an industrial shredder, which rips it into pieces several inches in diameter. The conveyor belt then carries these pieces to powerful magnets, which help remove iron, steel, and certain other metals, followed by other sorting technologies designed to isolate specific metals and types of plastic.
Quick Answer: How To Recycle Laptop Computers
If the device is too old or out of shape to donate, you could recycle it. Again, Earth911 makes it easy: Just search for laptop computer and enter your ZIP code to find the nearest drop-off location. Dells Goodwill Reconnect Program also accepts old and broken hardware from any brand.
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Plus Ideas For Reusing Your Old Laptop
- Western Washington University
- University of Tennessee
Old laptops are typically not accepted in curbside recycling programs, but they can be processed through special e-waste recycling programs. And because laptops may contain valuable materials, including gold, silver, and platinum, recycling them is actually profitable, which means plenty of eager recyclers are willing to take them off your hands.
Since laptops do contain heavy metals and hazardous chemicals that can negatively impact the environment, they should be handled carefully and recycling should be left to the professionals.
Does Anywhere Buy Old Computers
Gazelle. According to their website, Gazelle is the leading reCommerce company that buys and sells pre-owned consumer electronics. They purchase used desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets and smartphones from people who are looking to make money, and then refurbish and resell them to customers.
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Can You Recycle Silicon Wafers
Wafers may be recycled with the proviso that they meet particular incoming specifications. Generally, for successful recycling, wafers must be free of scratches greater than a total of 3cm in length. Haze, ghost patterns and pitting must be minimal. Wafers with cracks, chips or warping cannot be recycled successfully.
Turn Them Into Art Or Decor
If all else fails, why not take the scraps of metal that make a computer and turn them into something brand new that you can decorate with?
Look on Etsy and you might find similar handmade creations made from scrap metal, including metal taken from old computers.
This can be a unique business opportunity and a fun way to earn some extra cash!
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Destroy The Hard Drive
After backing up your data and wiping the hard drive, the next step is to destroy your hard drive . Because your data can be retrieved even after wiping the drive, the only sure-fire way to make sure your data is totally irretrievable is to demolish the hard drive.
How do I wipe my hard drive?
Follow these steps in order to properly and safely destroy your hard drive:
After you have safely and correctly broken the hard drive, it doesnt matter who gets hold of it, your data is completely irretrievable.
How To Wipe A Computer Before Recycling It
Before you wipe anything, you should make sure to save any important data on a backup drive. External hard drives, USB jump drives, or even cloud storage will work, but you can always port it over to your new computer too. Thankfully, most modern computers make this fairly easy its a lot of cutting and pasting, or sliding files into folders.
To wipe the computer, you need to delete all the data that remains on the hard drive. This is not as simple as dragging all files to the recycle bin and deleting cookies, however, as several data recovery programs exist that can retrieve deleted data. Many can be found here.
The first step in this process is to manually delete files from the system. Shredding programs like File Shredder can overwrite the files and clean up the drive. It is recommended that files are shredded and overwritten several times to make them harder to retrieve. Data can be found on several drives within the machine, so each drive must be prepared in a different way.
Once you have completed the sometimes lengthy process of moving, deleting, and shredding your files, the next step is to format the computer. This means you restore the computer to factory settings. The process for doing this is different for a Windows PC, a Mac, and a Chromebook, of course, but all have fairly easy steps, even if you’re a novice.
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How To Prepare Your Laptop For Recycling
Your laptop likely contains sensitive personal information, like your bank account info and social security number. To avoid identity theft or scams, wipe your laptop of personal information before sending it to a recycler.
First, create a backup to save important data. Plug in an external hard drive and save every file you want to keep onto it. You could also save this data to a flash drive or put it in cloud storage. Then, you can easily transfer this data to your new laptop and clear it from your old one.
Wipe your old laptops hard drive by manually deleting the files and, to go a step further, using a shredding program to overwrite the files. You can then restore the computer to factory settings.
If your laptop wont turn on for you to wipe it clean, you can remove the hard drive or destroy it to protect the data. The best way to destroy it is to drill through it or break the circuit board.
You may also need to remove your laptops battery to recycle that separately. Flip your laptop over and remove it before sending it to a recycler.
How Do You Recycle An Old Laptop
Most computer manufacturers release new laptops every year, which means people can upgrade their current laptop anytime they feel like it’s not working well. However, with the upgrade cycle increasing, more laptops end up in landfills, and it’s doing irreparable damage to the environment. A better alternative is to recycle your old laptop.
Fortunately, there are plenty of options for recycling. If you have a laptop less than five years old, you may be able to donate it. Non-profit organizations and schools are often happy to receive older laptops in good working condition. They’ll refurbish the computers for students or volunteer to use. Earth911 is an excellent place to start looking for places to donate your computer.
Just enter your zip code and search for organizations that take laptops as donations. And as an alternative, there may be local organizations, churches, or schools thrilled to have a gently used laptop . You’ll need to find those places through local connections.
Older laptops might not be able to be donated and will need to be sent or taken to a recycling center prepared to dispose of the machines properly. Several organizations have recycling programs for laptops . Each of these sites offers a program, and for the most part, all you’ll need to do is enter your zip code to find a location near you.
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What Do You Do With An Old Computer That Doesnt Work
The best thing to do with broken computers is either sell them for parts online or bring them to a recycling program. Most trade-in or donation programs won’t accept broken computers, but some allow people to recycle their old machines.
There are recycling services throughout the country, which you can find by searching on websites like the Consumer Technology Association or by searching for the nearest recycling plant. If you wish to make some money from old computers, various online companies will buy your device even if it’s broken.
- Does Staples recycle computers?
Yes. Staples recycles old electronics, including desktops, laptops, tablets, monitors, digital cameras, and more. You can see a complete list of items they take on the Staples Recycling Services page.
- What can I do with my old computer monitor?
Use your old computer monitor as a secondary display or a smart home dashboard. You can also turn your old computer into a video game emulator or use a streaming device to turn your monitor into a TV.
- What can I do with my old computer mouse?
If you want to repurpose your old computer mouse, turn it into a holiday ornament, soap holder, or counterfeit coin detector. If you’re feeling tech-savvy, use the mouse case to build a drone.
- What can I do with my old computer keyboard?
Most places that take old computers will also dispose of old keyboards. If the keyboard still works, consider donating it. You can always sell your used electronics online.
You Can Recycle Your Old Phones Laptops Batteries And Cameras For Free Here’s How
Don’t throw away your old electronics if you’ve upgraded to new devices. Here’s what to do.
Shelby Brown
Staff Writer
Shelby Brown is a writer for CNET’s services and software team. She covers tips and tricks for apps and devices, as well as Apple Arcade news.
New phones, tablets, laptops come out every year. You upgrade your tech, and your old device is retired to your in-home gadget graveyard. You probably have a drawer full of old batteries and cables, and some old phones, laptops and desktops lying around, depending on how frequently you upgrade your gear.
We all hang onto outdated tech for our own reasons — I still have my first Nokia block phone tucked away for nostalgia’s sake. There are also multiple ways to repurpose old devices for your smart home, using them as security cameras and more.
Whatever the tech, when it’s finally time to say goodbye, there’s a right way to dispose of your old gadgets — and there are a lot of wrong ways. We’ll show you which is which.
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Use It As A Digital Picture Frame
If youre not experienced with electronic parts, you will likely need help from someone to complete this project.
Disassemble the laptop and fit the circuitry and the LCD display into a shadow box to transform it into a digital photo frame. You can then use a program to display a slideshow of your favorite photos, which can be a fun addition to the family room.