Today the environmental impact of old computers, computer related parts and other electronic goods is a serious growing concern. There are so many computer Organizations who are ready to deal with old and damaged computers. They are ready to accept all types of obsolete and working computer equipments such as CRT monitors, printers, scanners, fax machines, etc. regardless of their age and condition. They also help in recycling the printer ink cartridges, laser toners, etc.
There are annually several millions of computers that are becoming obsolete. It is very much harmful for the environment if the waste computers are used to fill lands. Even it is a crime if the disposal of computers is used in landfills under different sections of environmental laws. The environmental concern regarding the disposal of computers is mainly due to the monitors because the cathode ray tube contains four to five pounds of lead which contaminates our environment very badly. There are also other hazardous materials in computers which are not at all good for our environment such as mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, etc. These materials seems to effect our health by causing high blood pressure, liver and nerve disease, blood with poor iron and even brain damages. Even the groundwater near a landfill also gets contaminated due to these hazardous materials.
Basically for these reasons different Environmental Laws have banned the illegal landfills by the disposals of computer equipments. These Laws says that the damaged and waste computers must be sent to a reputable recycler for better and harmless recycling. The process of recycling should be done regularly so as to protect from the huge pile up of old and waste computers. In addition to the environmental benefits different computer organization are also benefited by the recycling process. Different parts of the waste computer come handy for the remanufacturing of computers. Even these organizations can use these old computers as a medium of storing backups.
Three better options for disposal of old Computers -
It is not advisable to throw an old computer in the garbage. However, the disposal of computers can be utilized in three important phases without violating the environmental rules. They are 1) Reuse, 2) Recycle and 3) Trade in. By the term 'Reuse' it is meant that the computer is sold in secondary reduced price to some office or some individual for further use. As illegal landfills by the disposals of waste computer equipments have been banned by the Environmental Laws therefore Recycling is the best option is such case. The recycling is basically done to those computers which are extremely old and broken. Lastly the Trade in option gives us the opportunity to get our money back or even allows us in the exchange option.