12 Dec 2009
How to dispose of your old computer?
Dropping off my desktop computer at PC Recycle in Montreal
To me, throwing your old computer out on the street is absolutely unacceptable. But let’s be honest, what’s the alternative? It’s not like there’s a company that comes to our mind when we want to get rid of our computer?
Sure you can send your computer back to Dell or Sony if you buy another one of their computers, but I didn’t. Dell wouldn’t take my Dell Inspiron desktop back because I bought a Sony laptop.
Absolutely unacceptable! Old computer thrown out on street for garbage
So through a little investigation, I found a company called PC Recycle in Montréal that actually picks up old computers from businesses or the public can drop them off there.
PC recycle Montreal, an alternative to e-waste
What to do with your old computer:
What to do will vary from place to place, but here are a few general tips that should bring about a result for anyone!
- First contact the manufacturer to see if they offer ‘pick up for recycling’ programs
- Contact the retailer where you bought it
- Read How to recycle your TV for a list of organizations in Canada and US that recycle electronics
- Contact your municipality for recycling programs
- Google Your city + computer recycling for potential recycling companies in your area
I agree that a little work might be needed to actually find a solution, but the time it takes you to find a solution is much quicker than eternity, which is the amount of time your computer will sit in a landfill, polluting the environment. Yes, it might be a pain in the ass, it was for me, but man do I feel great knowing that my computer will be recycled and not contribute to e-waste.
Did you find a way to recycle your old computer or electronics? Tell me about it.
AAARGH!!
It really grinds my gears to see e-waste strewn on MY city sidewalks, so KUDOS to YOU and EVERYONE that participates in this practice!
I’m hoping the more people using these centers and their services when it comes time to dispose of their computers, demand for other electronic disposal will begin to surface, if it hasn’t already.
This may seem like a band-aid solution to some, and of course we would all love to see planned obsolescence go play in traffic, but hopefully it will help shift peoples perception of how they impact the planet with every dollar they spend, and change their habits for the better.
.: I.G :.
PS. Shame on Dell for not taking responsibility for their own product simply because you purchased your new computer from a competitor. Wrong attitude.
Isaiah Goodfriend
December 13th, 2009 at 4:49 ampermalink
I personally live on plateau, and I see all the time people leaving their old television outside. They think that someone will pick it up, but it mostly ends up hammered down by someone looking to recover the coil. Unfortunately, this leaves lead contaminated glass on the sidewalk and becomes extremely hazardous to human health.
TV Recycling
August 30th, 2010 at 4:39 pmpermalink
I know ‘eh? I’ve even seen, no joke, people put old VCRs and TVs into their RECYCLING BOX!!!! But the truth is, most people don’t know what to do? Very few people will actually take the time to research it by calling their local municipal office to see what their options are…
UrbanGreenGirl
September 1st, 2010 at 11:55 ampermalink
what do the recyclers do with it? i hope they don’t send it to Asia where kids pound them with rocks and burn the mother boards to collect precious metals and get poisoned in the process, and the once rice paddies and productive fields are now covered with plastic as far as the eye can see. there is something to be said for halting the garbage pick up on occasions; it will underscore how much we waste when we are up to our eyeballs in it. but being that municipalities are a form of business, it must be a professional courtesy to not do anything that might limit a consumers urge to consume.
greg
July 29th, 2011 at 4:45 pmpermalink
Hi Greg – You are right in that e-waste is a HUGE problem and a lot ends up in Asia or Africa. Sometimes, municipalities will organise events to get residents to bring their old electronics into town for recycling unbeknownst to the municipalities that the company they hired isn’t reputable as IS sending it overseas to be “recycled”. For the moment, it is really up to the citizens to do a little research on the organization they take their electronics too. Usually a simple “What do you do with it” will give you the answer.
UrbanGreenGirl
August 2nd, 2011 at 4:58 pmpermalink