Why Recycle?

Recycling makes sense economically and greatly reduces your environmental liability. Recycling properly disposes of, and accounts for all of the hazardous materials involved.
Recycling enables conservation of valuable resources. Reclaiming precious metals, copper, steel, aluminum, plastic, and CRT glass displaces the use of virgin materials which conserves energy and natural resources.
Recycling reduces the volume of hazardous materials entering landfills.
Recycling greatly reduces lead emissions from incinerators, thus helping to reduce air pollution.
Recycling is the legally, morally, and politically correct thing to do.

Today, businesses are increasingly faced with the dilemma of meeting recycling mandates to ensure proper disposal of obsolete electronics equipment. This unwelcome byproduct of the computer age is the result of the technology explosion, with lower prices for more powerful and flexible machines. Smaller, more efficient machines capable of multiple tasks are replacing the bulky systems of the past. Consequently, American businesses are discarding equipment that was once a resell asset, at an alarming rate.

Environmental Considerations

Electronic equipment can contain a variety of toxic materials that are detrimental to the environment if not properly disposed. Those responsible for disposing of such materials can be held liable, and face possible fines for unlawful disposal.

One of the toxic materials is lead. Lead, combined with tin solder, is used in the production of electronic circuit boards found inside all computers, communications equipment, televisions, video cassette recorders, radios, etc. In addition, lead is used in the production of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) or picture tubes, which can be found in televisions and computer monitors. Lead is essential here because it absorbs radiation of x-rays produced by rapid deceleration of electrons inside the CRT, which would otherwise result in harmful health effects to those watching or repairing the screen.

Older electronic equipment, particularly that produced before 1980, can contain additional toxic chemicals. These dinosaurs may use capacitors containing polychlorinated biphenyl's (PCBs) or relay switches containing mercury. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers both of these chemicals highly toxic.