| As an office organizing consultant, I often see old | | | | recyclers simply ship it off to be disposed of in |
| computers, printers, and monitors taking up valuable | | | | countries with less rigid environmental standards. |
| space in both workspaces and storage areas, as well | | | | Some manufacturers have a program where they will |
| as drawers and boxes full of old cell phones, | | | | reward you with a gift certificate or discount on a |
| calculators, and other equipment that is no longer used. | | | | future purchase in exchange for returning your used |
| Although some business owners hold on to such items | | | | computers or printer cartridges to them for recycling |
| to use as a back-up, others do so because they don't | | | | or donation to a charity, and you may wish to explore |
| know how to properly dispose of them to ensure that | | | | this option. |
| the hazardous materials they contain don't end up in a | | | | If you are going to sell or donate your computer to |
| landfill site. | | | | another person or organization, you must be sure to |
| Keep in mind that because technology changes so | | | | first clear all your personal and/or business data off |
| rapidly, a piece of equipment which no longer meets | | | | the hard drive, to protect yourself and possibly your |
| your needs may well be of value to someone else. If | | | | clients against identity theft, to protect your proprietary |
| your business upgrades equipment frequently, you | | | | business information, and to ensure that your business |
| may be able to resell it, however, due to depreciation, | | | | doesn't violate any privacy laws. Unless you are |
| you'll likely only recover a fraction of your original | | | | prepared to include original disks, documentation, and |
| purchase price. You're also unlikely to get rich stripping | | | | software licenses along with the computer, you should |
| and selling the components to someone who needs | | | | also remove any software from the computer before |
| replacement parts for an older computer, but it may be | | | | passing it on. Keep in mind that if you simply delete files |
| an option worth considering, as it will keep those items | | | | or even format the hard drive, the data may still be |
| out of the landfill, and may make a big difference to | | | | present, and someone with moderate technical abilities |
| the person or organization who can't afford to replace | | | | will be able retrieve it. To make sure the data cannot |
| equipment when it breaks down. | | | | be recovered, you need to write over the physical |
| Another option to consider is the donation of surplus | | | | clusters by "wiping" the data. You can locate a |
| computers and other office equipment to a school or | | | | program for this purpose by searching on or If you're |
| non-profit organization. You can locate organizations | | | | disposing of a large number of computers, you'll be |
| accepting donations at or Older machines can still be | | | | glad to know that there is also an entire industry |
| useful tools in programs where unemployed people | | | | dedicated to securing and destroying data. |
| gain job skills training by refurbishing or repairing such | | | | In addition to computers, there may be other surplus |
| equipment, and in some cases, you may even receive | | | | items in your office which could benefit a charitable |
| a tax receipt for your donation. | | | | organization or community group, including furniture and |
| Machines which are too old to be useful to anyone | | | | office supplies. Before you discard anything, take the |
| can be recycled, and a new industry of computer | | | | time to explore donating and recycling options. By |
| recycling is emerging. Before you decide to deal with | | | | doing so, you'll not only free up space in your office, |
| one of these businesses, you should find out how they | | | | but you'll help the environment, and possibly make |
| will dispose of your equipment, as apparently some | | | | someone's life a little better. |