What do You do With Your Electronic Waste?

With electronics becoming outdated within a few years, what do we do with the old computers, televisions, and cell phones? Hopefully you don’t take it to the curb. Hopefully you find a better solution. This solution is to recycle.

Did you know that the average conventional computer monitor contains anywhere from 5 to 7 pounds of (a (100-140)/13 pound battery) ? Yes, lead. This lead is used to shield us from the radiation the monitor emits. The switches are made with, the same substance we no longer use in household thermostats due to the danger it poses to the environment once it reaches its life expectancy and is discarded. When computers are discarded in landfills the lead and mercury components eventually seep out and find their way into our groundwater.

Although some manufacturers do take their particular computers back, it is usually in exchange for purchasing a new one. And while some of us have programs in our towns to deposit our no longer useable computers, what do the rest of us do? I for one went on the website www.earth911.com where I found much needed information about recycling old computers. I found my solution at a local recycler.

My solution was called “E-Solutions USA,” located at 200 Engineers Road in Hauppauge. Whether you’re a business, school or just an individual, E-Solutions has a solution for you. You can arrange pick up of many computers or visit E-Solutions yourself, as I did, to dispose of a few computers. For the tiny sum of $9.00 I brought in 3 computers, 2 monitors, a keyboard, and a printer. Only the monitors have a fee, which is determined by size. Everything is then sorted and dismantled for eventual reuse. Every piece of your computer will be sent someplace to be melted down. The mercury will be extracted. The gold in the circuit boards will be reclaimed. This is the perfect solution for protecting our planet from our toxic technology.

I spoke to the Technical Director of E-Solutions and was amazed at how all the components of our computers can be broken down for re-use. So if your computer has seen better days, and is beyond donating to a school, or passing it down to your children, or giving away on a site like Freecycle, please think about recycling your computer with a reputable recycler. The planet will thank you for it.

For more information please be sure to check out Earth911 or for Long Island E-Waste Recycling Long Island E-Waste Schedule

By Ann I. Aurelio