Recycling computer and laptop North Shore
After several years of use, your computer or laptop has become obsolete. So it can’t be useful to you. So you’re thinking of acquiring a new one. But what are you going to do with the old one? Don’t do what some people do by throwing it in the garbage. The best solution is to recycle your computer equipment. It is an eco-responsible gesture that allows the recovery of precious raw materials for useful purposes. Focus on the subject.
Why do you choose to recycle?
Outdated computer equipment, whether a computer or a laptop, is part of electrical and electronic waste (EEE). You have to choose this alternative for several reasons.
Because it is imposed by law
That’s the main reason. According to the European Union, DEEEs must be recycled because they have a negative impact on the environment. It must be said that in Canada, as in many countries of the European Union, this operation is very neglected. According to surveys, only 20% of devices are recycled worldwide. And it has been found that every Canadian citizen generates about 20.4 kilograms of electrical and electronic waste per year. This makes a considerable amount of waste present in the country. Computers and laptops have components such as lead, cadmium or mercury that are dangerous to human health. That is why the regulations are very strict. There is no question of throwing these objects anywhere or giving them to anyone. There are electronics recovery and recycling organizations that help businesses and individuals get rid of their outdated computer devices. They even pick them up directly from your home, for free.
Because it allows the extraction of precious metals
In addition to the fact that recycling degraded computer equipment preserves health, it is also an interesting solution to the extraction of ore. And these extracted raw materials can be used to make new appliances. This keeps the cost of computer equipment much lower. For the record, according to the Council of Canadian Academies, the amount of gold that can be extracted from e-waste is 40 to 50 times that of gold ores. So, whether it’s the touch tablet or printer, the central unit, the screen, the mouse, the printer, the keyboard, the power cable, the Scanner, the tablet, the headset, the gamepad, the games console, the hard drive, the joystick, the USB Hub, the batteries, etc. all the components of the computer or laptop must be recycled.
What steps does he take before recycling his computer equipment?
Generally, it is because of the theft of confidential or personal information (emails, passwords, contact information, bank information, etc.) that can be used in the context of industrial espionage, scams or identity theft that many people are reluctant to entrust their computer equipment to a specialized organization for recycling. But just take precautions before you make the deposit and you will be safe from these disappointments. First, back up on an external hard drive or DVDs and on the cloud personal information such as:
- Text documents
- The photos
- Videos
- Software
- Games
- Etc.
Then delete all data from the hard drive of the computer or laptop. Be aware that selecting them, putting them in the trash and emptying the said basket does not ensure optimal destruction. Your data can still be retrieved as long as no new data is recorded on the disk, even if you format it as is usually done. The effective method to achieve this is to use low-level formatting via software specific to the hard drive manufacturer. There are also data erasure software that allows for more or less efficient deletion. For phones, you can follow the manufacturer’s instructions to perform a hardware reset in the factory. For throes of security, call on a technology professional.
How does computer recycling work?
When the user computer or laptop is deposited at collection points, it is recovered by the recycling company. It offers it responsible treatment in accordance with regulations. In fact, recyclers break down the material. Depending on its nature, this can be done manually or with a shredder. Then they sort the different materials and send them to suitable foundries. These materials will, in most cases, be used to design other products. For example, plastic materials are used to make small auto parts. Ferrous metals are used to make automotive parts, or construction frames, and non-ferrous metals are used to create new cables.
