Forgotten, But Not Gone

What to do with all that old IT equipment? Reduce, reuse and recycle.
By Alexander Slagg

Poke around in any small business and you'll likely find them hidden away in a spare cubicle, room or closet: piles of old information technology equipment.

What to do with all that old equipment is a growing problem. Electronic waste is the fastest growing segment of the municipal solid waste stream, with much of that e-waste containing hazardous substances, such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). U.S. homes and businesses are discarding an average of 133,000 PCs each day, according to Gartner, an information technology (IT) research firm in Stamford , Conn. In the next three years, individuals and organizations worldwide will replace more than 400 million computers, says Gartner. Meanwhile, those piles in storerooms are growing: Government researchers estimate that more than 75 percent of all computers ever sold remain stockpiled in closets, garages, office storage rooms and warehouses.

While there is as yet no federal legislation governing electronic waste, local and state governments have begun regulating how consumers and businesses can dispose of the most problematic part of the PC, the cathode ray tube (CRT). CRTs contain lead and several other hazardous materials, which led the EPA to categorize them as hazardous waste in 2001. California , Maine , Massachusetts and Minnesota have banned CRTs from landfills, according to Jason Linnell, executive director of the National Center for Electronics Recycling in Wood County , W. Va. Three states— California , Maine and Maryland —have passed comprehensive recycling laws.

Computer Replacement Forecast

2004: 118.3 million units
2005: 140.1 million units
2006: 153.9 million units
Source: Gartner Group

Cell Phone Replacement Forecast

2004: 422.1 million units
2008: 891 million units
Source: IC Insights

The key is finding a reliable and trustworthy recycler. "Don't be afraid to ask for documentation," says Timothy Osgood, director of corporate recycling at Intercon Solutions, a computer and electronics recycler with 25 employees located in Chicago Heights, Ill. "Make sure the company is recycling domestically, and not shipping overseas to who knows where," he says. Also, check that the recycler has some kind of environmental management system in place, such as an ISO 14001 certification, which certifies that it does what it claims to do. Intercon's operation, for example, has been certified that it smelts down all hard drives, completely destroying their contents; that it recycles 100 percent of the equipment received; that it does not resell functioning equipment; and that no part of the electronics equipment it receives ends up in a landfill.

There are many simple solutions for properly disposing of e-waste, whether through reusing or recycling. And with more regulations likely, now is the time for small businesses to put together a plan for tackling that heap of old IT equipment growing in the back office.

"Small businesses are as concerned about the environment and doing the right thing as anyone else," says Osgood.

"Companies have a public image to uphold. It pays to be good global citizens."

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… Regulate?

Three states have passed e-waste laws, while several bills are floating around the halls of Congress.

California : The law, which went into effect in January 2005, requires retailers to pay a fee ranging from $6 to $10 for every electronic device with a CRT or LCD that they sell. The state collects this fee and pays it out to state-certified recyclers. For information, see www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Electronics/Act2003 .

Maine : The law, scheduled to go into effect in January 2006, holds the manufacturers responsible for the costs of handling, transporting and recycling CRTs and flat-panel displays. Municipalities, manufacturers, state government and consolidators will work together to ensure that these items are delivered to specified recycling consolidation locations. For information, see www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/ewaste .

Maryland : The law requires PC manufacturers to offer free computer take-back programs or pay the state a fee. As of January 2006, manufacturers selling more than 1,000 computers in the state will have to pay an initial registration fee and establish their free take-back programs. For information, see www.marylandrecyclers.org .

Federal: Several e-waste bills have been presented to Congress, but observers give them little chance of passage. Two of the bills, the Electronic Waste Recycling and Promotion and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 and the Tax Incentives to Encourage Recycling Act, would give consumers and businesses tax breaks in exchange for properly disposing of their e-waste.

A third bill, the National Computer Recycling Act, would add a fee to all new computer purchases along with setting up a grant program to start a national recycling program.

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