Under UK directives enacted in 2007, efforts have been made to properly recycle computer waste due to computers containing over 100 toxic chemicals. Computer waste can be refurbished and sent to charities, and metals can be recycled, but it also contains harmful chemicals like lead and arsenic that must be kept out of landfills through proper disposal or recycling. Licensed carriers are trained to properly recycle computer waste, providing data wiping and audit documentation for insurance. Proper computer waste management can save landfill space, eliminate toxins from water, and give obsolete computers a second life for those in need.
1. Under the WEEE directives, enacted in 2007 throughout
the UK, extra efforts have been made to recycle as much
computer waste as possible. Because the average PC can
contain more than 100 different toxics, it is important that
obsolete computer equipment and consumer electronics
are recycled or disposed of properly.
2. By eliminating computer waste, there can be refurbishing
of systems that are sent to poor nations or charities, but
even the computer systems that are not working can
contribute "good" metals that can be recycled, such as
aluminium, tin, copper and even gold!
3. On the other hand, computer waste can contain harmful
chemicals such as lead, cadmium and arsenic and these
are only a few of the toxins to keep out of landfills,
through proper disposal or recycling. Environment Agency
licensed waste carriers are trained to properly recycle your
computer waste and they can provide other helpful
services that are necessary to protect your important data.
4. For one thing, you need to ensure your hard drive has all
of the important information destroyed and data wiping is
professionally done with the proper documentation.
When your computer waste is disposed of through
computer breakdown, asset tracking and audit trails are
created, along with certificate of destruction documents
for your insurance files.
5. Through proper computer waste management, tons of
space can be saved in landfills, toxins can be eliminated
from reaching crucial water supplies and computer
systems can enjoy a second life. Those less fortunate can
enjoy the benefits of computer waste that might
otherwise be discarded. Through the WEEE directives, the
proper disposal or recycling of IT assets and consumer
electronics can help the environment and those that might
not be able to afford computer technology can re-use this
obsolete equipment. As computer technology becomes
more sophisticated and advanced, computer systems will
become obsolete much quicker. As it stands, most
computer systems outlive their lifespan in three to five
years, but there are many of these systems that are
considered state-of-the-art to poor nations and charities
6. Your computer system can live a second life and your hard
drive can be shredded, if necessary. In most cases, safe
data wiping can be done, which can protect the data on
your hard drive and allow it to live a second life, since
80GB and larger hard drives are in large demand.
Environment Agency licensed waste carriers can safely
destroy your data, which can protect you from enormous
liability and risk.
7. When you store your old IT assets, you risk the chance
your computer equipment could be stolen and end up in
the wrong hands. Even if you attempt to destroy the data
on your hard drive by yourself, it takes a number of steps
and re-formatting the hard drive once is not enough. Using
the proper precautions for the recycling and disposal of
your computer waste is obviously important for a number
of reasons.