Dell Raises the Bar on Computer Recycling
by Justin Thomas, Virginia 
on 07. 2.06
Dell recently announced that it would offer free recycling of any of its machines, regardless of whether their owners were buying replacement systems from Dell. Previously, consumers needed to buy new Dell equipment to qualify for free recycling, a requirement that remains the practice for many other leading computer companies. "Dell's new program sets the bar high," said Kate Krebs, executive director of the National Recycling Coalition in Washington. With the new program, consumers will go to Dell's Web site (see this page) to print out a mailing label, then contact the company's recycling office to schedule a pickup by a local recycling contractor. Hewlett-Packard, Apple Computer and other companies have introduced less ambitious programs to encourage the recycling of obsolete equipment.
Hewlett-Packard's program accepts computers made by any manufacturer, but consumers must pay for shipping, about $35 for a complete computer system. They then receive a coupon typically worth more than the shipping fee that they can use to buy Hewlett-Packard equipment or supplies like printer cartridges, said John Frey, manager of the corporate environmental strategies program.
Hewlett-Packard says it recycled 140 million pounds of hardware and printer cartridges last year, an increase of 17 percent from 2004.Apple announced in April that it would offer free recycling of old computers to customers who buy new ones, but consumers not buying a replacement must pay a $30 shipping fee. Apple offers free recycling of iPod music players to customers buying replacement iPods, and a 10 percent discount on the new device.
Via Hugg via The New York Times
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I cannot help but wonder if any of these companies are recycling responsibly and safely or if they are just shipping them off to developing countries as is the case with the majority of printer cartrige recyclers.
Laura,
I saw this in the NYT article:
Thanks for the information Justin. I will try to find the article. If you can share the information with us at Treeofprosperity.com, please submit it to our website at: http://www.treeofprosperity.com
Edgar Echevers
Treeofprosperity.com, Co-Creator
www.treeofprosperity.com
I'm embarassed to weigh in so long after the fact but just saw this. And for full disclosure work on environment issues at Dell.
I wanted to respond to the comment about shipping material overseas. Dell absolutely prohibits our recyclers from sending waste to developing nations and we employ regular third-party audits to ensure the standard is met. You raise a very important issue about the conditions in places like China where electonic waste is not properly handled - and want to ensure everyone that Dell is committed to running an enviornmentally and socially responsible recycling program
you didnt include how much the computer was