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Methods For Computer And Monitor Disposal? 17

Posted by Cliff from the being-environmentally-friendly dept.
po_boy asks: "given the recent law passed in Massachusetts, which prevents people from just throwing away old computers and monitors, I was wondering what some of the alternative ways of disposing old hardware are. Ideally, I'd like to be able to help an organization by giving them my old hardware, but I understand that I hold on to my hardware so long and cannibalize it so much that often it is of no use to anyone when I no longer want it. What, then, is the best way to dispose of my hardware in order to ensure that it will be at least recycled if not re-used?"
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Methods For Computer And Monitor Disposal? More

Methods For Computer And Monitor Disposal?

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  • Given the way the legislature acts here (getting drunk instead of making laws), and given the absolutely inept mismanagement of public funds (see the URL in my user info), it's an complete bloody fucking wonder that this state hasn't collapsed under its own inebriated weight by now. Adding a few million pounds of CRTs will only expedite the process.

    - A.P.
    --


    "One World, one Web, one Program" - Microsoft promotional ad

  • Really, you have to realize that the way you've framed your question (via your behavior) precludes getting what you would consider a useful answer. Correct me if I'm wrong, but in essence you're asking, "Is there anyone out there that will take used-up husks of my computer gear after they are so old or stripped that they have negative economic value?"

    The answer to that question is that no one is going to take that sort of equipment. This is one reason the Microsoft/Intel upgrade merry-go-round ticks me off - the very structure of the industry guarantees that you will have to simply throw away your current computer and most if not all of its peripherals in a few years. (One of the reasons I buy really cheap computers, but fairly nice printers and monitors.)

    Anyway, the only thing you can do is throw it away. As a previous poster pointed out, even that can be problematic in many areas. Fortunately, even with the Loony Left running Austin and imposing Public Waste policies worthy of the KGB on us, you can still throw away *anything* as long as it's in your city-supplied trash can. There's a huge list of things they say they won't take (rocks, and construction debris, for instance), but if you can get it into the trash can, it all just disappears. You can throw away anything that will fit in the trash can with no trouble at all: mercury, radioactive iodine, Plutonium powder, anything, just so long as it's in the official, approved pay-as-you-throw container. With the rates they charge for trash service here, I don't feel even a little bit guilty about throwing away anything I can manage to stuff in the can.

    Austin's policy is incredibly stupid, though - if you were trying to build a policy that provided the maximum incentive possible for people to just dump crud into the canyons, you couldn't do any better than the policy the city has. I know a lot of people that find it cheaper and easier to dump (especially things like trimmed branches and grass clippings, which are really hard to get rid of) than put up with the city's restrictions. Sad, really.
  • Yeah, but see, here in Texas, the resulting puddle of reacting metal would melt down, creating a vertical hole in the ground, something we normally have to pay $$$ for, so that's not a bad side effect after all... [grin]
  • Assachusetts

    Hadn't heard that one before. I usually just call this wonderful Kennedy spawning ground Taxachusetts.
  • Things are kinda strange around here... I just moved to Minnesota this past year... and I find out I need to call to arrange garbage service? They charge me based on the size of container they leave for me?! $10.95/mo (+ other stuff) for a 35 gallon bin. Crazy. But you get your choice of a few different companies (same price, same size, same pickup days)... Back in NJ, it was just part of your yearly taxes, and cost significantly less (though the property taxes were much higher overall)...

    I'm just amazed that this isn't a city/town/whatever service. If you are outside the city limits, you can haul your own trash to the dump, that's alright, but when you live in the 'city' (Rochester isn't really a city), that sort of thing should just be done. Bah!

    Score (-17, way the heck off topic)

    [back on topic now]
    Try freeboxen.com for getting rid of old parts (that work, or some that don't) - it's amazing, but *somebody* just might want it.

  • Freeboxen.com (Score:5)

    by Tower ( 37395 ) on Monday May 01, 2000 @10:21AM (#1100151)
    get rid of it - somebody will take it!
  • Typical short sighted slashdot reader, what if everyone followed your lead?

    You can throw away anything that will fit in the trash can with no trouble at all: mercury, radioactive iodine, Plutonium powder

    Yeah, yeah, and can't you just see one of those bulldozers pushing together a few garbage truck loads of plutonium powder and starting a critical reaction!

    Austin would get nuked, the Gulf of Mexico would glow, and Dubya would take credit for the unique environmental niches he's created for radioactive mutant beasties.

    Do what I do, fill film containers with your waste plutonium and drop them in the film developing boxes.

    George
  • The big problem is stuff like the lead in the solder and in the glass faces of CRT's. So far as I know, recycling those isn't exactly common.
    --
    This post made from 100% post-consumer recycled magnetic
  • Unless you really don't have the room, start collecting old 486's/Pentiums/whatevers, and cluster the hell out those things! I know I'd like a beowulf in my closet! And all the chicks dig it too!

  • Unless you really don't have the room, start collecting old 486's/Pentiums/whatevers, and cluster the hell out those things! I know I'd like a beowulf in my closet! And all the chicks dig it too!

    Careful about putting it in a closet: we've got an 8-node Pentium II Beowulf in a smallish room, and when all of them are doing things (like RC5, that's all it ever seems to be doing), the room gets _very_ warm. Nice in winter though (hey, use it to save on heating bills!).
  • If the stuff that's left isn't just a old case and a few screws, mosty likely someone will still be able to get use out of it. MA (well Boston really) is supposed to be a geek-heavy area, right? Find a computer club or student ACM chapter and ask if they want some old hardware. We take stuff from the CS department all the time (SPARC ELCs [weird X terminals], I think we got a VAX from them, etc). A 486 or old Pentium would be quite welcome in most such places, especially if they aren't getting any money from the student activities funds and have to scavange hardware and hope for donations.
  • The best way to dispose of your old computers and monitors is to blow the guts out of them with firearms and/or explosives, then cart the remains to the nearest landfill.

    I lost my best 'shooting old PC hardware' links, does anybody have some to contribute?

  • It may take some digging, but look for companies
    that reclaim precious metals from circuit boards
    and such.

    Slashdot readers are probably most all like you -
    we use and reuse our PC hardware for so long
    they're not even useful to charities when we get
    done with them.

  • Freeboxen? (Score:3)

    by Duke of Org ( 147376 ) on Tuesday May 02, 2000 @12:25AM (#1100159)
    You all heard of FreeBoxen.
    WWW.Freeboxen.com
    you put your stuff up, and the buyer usually pays
    s&h.
    Just thought I'd let ya's know
  • Dude, if I had moderation points, you'd get them. It's good to hear about this site! Now, we've just got to let everyone know about it. There's almost nothing there now.
    -- --
    Stay Tuned Next Week For...
    The Adventures of Open Souce Man!
  • A law preventing curbside disposal of TV's, monitors, and computers just passed here in the people's republic of Assachusetts (with no advanced warning). The officially advertised way to dispose of them is to give them to good will, whether the stuff is working or not. This just doesn't sit right with me, as now The Salvation Army has to find a way to get rid of all this junk. But, hey, that's the goverment for ya.
  • I just moved from the States to Europe and had to get rid of a ton of scrap computer parts... Here are a few options:

    1. Donate them to a local prison. They'll almost certainly take them, and they'll take all of the used books you can't pawn off on the local used book store too.

    2. Check with the local charities like Opportunity Village, or others with retail second hand goods stores.

    3. Most state universities participate in a program called "Creative Re-use of Educational Materials" or something like that. Check with a nearby University and see if they'll take the stuff off your hands.

    4. Short of that, most universities sell big lots of antique computer hulks for scrap metal. I'm sure they'd dispose of it for you.

    Hope this helps.

    -Andy

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