Disposal of Old Computer Equipment
Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor, specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when disposed of, according to EPA standards. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and nerve and brain damage in animals). The Utah Department of Environmental Quality estimates that 314 million computers will be thrown away by the end of 2004, containing 1.2 billion pounds of lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 1.2 million pounds of hexavalent chromium, and 400,000 pounds of mercury.
Imagine a worst-case scenario: Groundwater near a landfill becomes contaminated. In a search for potentially responsible parties, a company that had disposed of computers at the site (identified by a control tag or manufacturer’s number) could be subject to potentially costly criminal and civil litigation (i.e., SARA, formerly CERCLA, litigation). All of this could happen even if the organization had donated the equipment to a charity or paid a company to recycle it.
Regardless of how old computers are disposed of, there are several important steps to take before handing them over. First, remove the hard drive or reformat it. Simply deleting files does not prevent them from being recovered from the hard drive; sometimes, files can even be retrieved from reformatted drives. Next, evaluate software license agreements to determine if they preclude transfer of the software along with the computer.
It is important to remove all company insignia and inventory control tags from computers to be disposed of. Removing company insignia and control tags can hamper hackers from identifying to which company any recovered information belongs.
If possible, have the recipient of the used computer equipment sign an agreement accepting responsibility for its proper disposal. This is necessary whether it is sold, given to an employee, or donated. In the event of future litigation, this documentation supports the position that the recipient has accepted responsibility for the equipment’s disposal.
Recycling companies should also provide written documentation of the proper disposal of computer equipment. If a recycling company cannot or will not provide such documentation, this could be a sign that it is not a reputable company. Finally, a written record of all disposed-of computers should track the serial number, description, method of disposal, and date of disposal. This information should be kept with all other documentation regarding computer disposal.
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