So you have bought a new computer system for the office or a new TV or DVD player for your house. What do you do with your old equipment?
Most transfer stations (The Dump) will not take electronic equipment, which means you have a couple of options to properly dispose of electronic equipment.
One option is to donate your used electronics to your church or goodwill. Of course it should work if you plan on donating it. If it is a computer, you want to make sure that the hard drive has been wiped clean. There are numerous free tools that will wipe your hard drive clean. Pick one that also writes 0’s and 1’s to the whole drive to ensure the data is unrecoverable.
Another option is to recycle it at an "E-Cycle" center. A simple Google search will show you what businesses in your town accept used electronics for recycling. I have found that there are quite a few Goodwill and Salvation Army centers in the Western Washington area that have free, used electronics recycling. Some businesses charge for taking used equipment, so you should call ahead of time to make sure how much equipment they will take and how much it will cost.
The last option, I’m aware of, is a regular scrap yard. Some will take your equipment for a fee, some will pay you. Call in advance to make sure that they DO take electronics and what kind of equipment they will take. From what I found, most will take your computer tower and all the parts inside, but will not take CRT monitors or printers.
If you have any questions about recycling your equipment, give the CCS Retail Systems Support Department a call at 800-672-4806 or email us. We can help you wipe your hard drive, and may be able to recommend the closest recycle center for you.
Have a Great Weekend
-Bryan 