Recycling e-waste

E-waste is the term for discarded computer equipment, e.g. monitors, printers, hard drives and circuit boards. They contain toxic substances and shouldn't be thrown out with household rubbish.

In our PCs is 23% plastic, 32% ferrous metals, 18% non-ferrous metals, 12% electronic boards and 15% glass. A single computer can contain up to 2kg of lead and the complex mixture of materials makes them difficult to recycle. New laws came into force in 2007 (look at www.netregs.gov.uk) to cover waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) : computer waste can be disposed of by returning the product to the manufacturer, taking it to a professional waste disposal company (most local authorities are registered to deal with WEEE) or by donating the goods to a non-profit organisation. Waste electronic equipment taken to our recycling station at Kiln Lane is dealt with by Surrey County Council : fridges and freezers go onward to European Metal Recycling Ltd processing plant in Willesden and SCC takes all other electrical goods to Light Brothers processing facility in Lewes, Sussex.

Dell Computers and Hewlett Packard are said to operate a free recycling scheme with a new purchase. Computer suppliers, retailers and manufacturers should be able to advise on other recycling schemes.

There are now more than 50 non-profit organisations (look at www.itforcharities.co.uk) which collect, refurbish and supply PCs. Computer Aid International is one of those which has distributed over 150,000 PCs in over 100 countries, making it the global leader. Offers/Ex-IT (check out www.crispej.org.uk) reuses and recycles computery for students, people on low incomes, VSO's and small start-up businesses. Digital Links (see www.digital-links.org) is a charity providing an IT disposal service to British schools and redistributes the computers to schools and community projects in the developing world.

For more information on how to recycle e-waste, try a Google search.