how to dispose of lcd screen factory

It might come off as a surprise but about 98% of an LCD/monitor can be recycled to extract useful material including plastic, copper, and other metals. The plastic removed from an LCD monitor is used for manufacturing new products while the circuit boards are smelted to extract metals. The wiring in the monitor can also be stripped to extract copper and rubber. All these materials can be recycled instead of getting wasted and polluting the environment. Moreover, some LCDs and monitors can be refurbished to be used again by extending their lifecycle. Only an expert in electronic recycling can do this through a meticulous process. Trust our team at Hummingbird International to do this for you, be it commercial waste disposal or residential ewaste disposal.

Technology is constantly evolving, bringing us new and better devices that leave us questioning what we ever thought was so great about those old ones in the first place. Last year’s mobile phones, TVs, and computers that use LCD screens are now dated by ever-improving models and a better grade of LCD – so replacing and upgrading the technology is important.

So, what should we do with these old devices and LCD hardware with a lifespan of 10-20 years that we now have lying sad and forgotten in the corner, in the attic, or out on the curb? Recycle them, of course! LCDs have their own regulations for recycling, so here are some tips on how to recycle your old LCD screens and devices.

LCDs that were manufactured before 2009 use cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) to backlight the display. These CCFL displays contain mercury, which makes them hazardous to dispose of or incinerate. Other electronic products can contain hazardous chemicals, such as heavy metals and brominated flame retardants. These materials can leak out of landfills and into groundwater, streams, etc., or can be transformed into “super toxicants” while being incinerated. Throwing away these types of devices can clearly be harmful, even today. There are still some harmful chemicals and materials inside electronic devices that will damage the environment if they aren’t disposed of properly—and many times, they aren’t.

Another big problem is that because of the turn-over rate of these electronic devices, LCD screens are just left sitting in landfills. Since they need to be disposed of in certain ways, they’re left to sit and waste away, taking up space in the landfills. Many states have laws prohibiting the disposal of electronic waste in landfills. Because of that, LCDs are likely to sit and rot, or be incinerated in large quantities. They also could be shipped off to other countries that don’t have these prohibiting laws, which is definitely not the best solution to the problem.

Many times, we get new and better gadgets before the current one even needs replacing. That old TV still works, still shows the picture clearly and there’s not a scratch on it. But this new one…well, it’s bigger. It has the Internet capabilities built right in and it can do backflips! Okay, not really, but the point is that we tend to get something new while we still have a perfectly functioning, but slightly older, model. Instead of keeping it in the attic, you can donate it or recycle it to companies and stores in your area that will take it. These places can resell it to people who don’t have the latest backflipping TV, mobile phone or tablet.

Throwing away functioning devices is wasteful when it can be used and appreciated by someone else. With cellphones, some carriers have donation boxes where you can donate your old, still working cellphone to less fortunate people and families. This is environmentally, economically and morally friendly.

One option for a truly broken product is to take it to an electronics shop or store to see if it can be refurbished. Instead of claiming a lost cause when a screen breaks, see if it can be fixed. Apple has a service where they will take your old and broken phone and use it as part of the study to help improve the next product they’re trying to create.

Since the issue was raised, there has been much research performed on the best method for recycling LCD screens. Different facilities have different ideas, practices and processes. Some of these processes include removing the hazardous waste materials from the screens/monitors; others believe in completely taking apart the device/screen piece by piece and seeing what can be resold or refurbished, then disposing of the rest in environmentally friendly ways.

Almost 98% of an LCD monitor can be recycled. All plastics are removed to be recycled into new products. Printed circuit boards can be recovered from LCD recycling and smelted to recover valuable metals, while cabling is stripped to reclaim copper and other metals.

Considering how frequently we get new electronic devices, being smart about LCD recycling can make a huge difference. General Digital encourages all of its customers to recycle their used computer monitors and televisions. Learn more about e-cycling from Maryland’s Department of the Environment, and Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection.

One of the largest recycling problems faced by most countries comes down to the sheer volume of computer electronics that are obsolete and outdated. With technology advances showing no signs of slowing down, it"s no wonder that businesses and home users are constantly upgrading computer monitors.

It"s easy to say that you should be recycling old electronics because it"s the right thing to do. But it"s far more important to understand the fundamental impacts that electronics have on our world when they end up in the trash.

The first thing that"s important to understand is how big of a problem electronics are. With people replacing phones every year and computers every few years, it shouldn"t come as a surprise that there are mountains of discarded electronics every year.

When e-waste like monitors isn"t properly handled at the end of its life, then exposure to the natural elements alone can cause many of the toxic materials to break down and evaporate into the air.

But even modern LCD monitors contain many different metals and chemicals that are perfectly safe when they are contained. But even small amounts of them in the open air canseriously damage animals, plants, and humans.

When monitors and other computer electronics are illegally dumped, or they end up at a landfill, then all those metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium can ultimately release due to heat, cold, and moisture exposure.

But heavy metals like mercury, lithium, and lead don"t just seep into the soil and stop there. Over time, gravity and water wash these metals further and further down until they hit the water table.

These are not problems that arise suddenly, and contamination often happens over many years with a gradual accumulation of the toxins. Once there are symptoms, a lot of the damage has often been done, and people can be left with permanent health problems.

OK, now that you know that those old monitors in the garage or basement could be a health hazard and that the right thing to do is to recycle computer monitors, it"s time to go through this simple process.

If there are loose cables still attached, or the monitor is still attached to a computer, then make sure you remove all the cables first. You can recycle these as well, but it"s best to keep them separate.

You need to make sure that you"ll safely carry and transport the monitor. E-waste can easily break, and it might have already deteriorated a bit if it"s been in storage for a long time.

Now is also a good time to check for any other electronic devices like printers, scanners, and DVD players that are just taking up space and never used.

Make sure that your old computer monitors are safely placed in your trunk so that they avoid falling or rolling around. Those external plastics won"t stand up to much force, and you can quickly damage internal components that contain the heavy metals.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, then you can bring your old e-waste to the GreenCitizen recycling facility. The company has years of experience in recycling electronic devices and offers competitive rates.

The recycling process for computers and monitors starts with carefully taking apart the electronics into their individual components. There are plenty of plastics, and then there"s the glass and multiple circuit boards.

If you look at a typical electronics circuit board, there will be a combination of plastics, copper, lead, aluminum, and even precious metals like gold.

Separating these materials requires specialized equipment that breaks them down into a pile of metals and plastic. The metals can then be further separated and recycled as raw materials for the electronics industry.

This is becoming an increasingly important part of protecting the environment. Unfortunately, all electronics from your phone to your computer monitor contain many types of metals that often come from mines in third-world countries.

These mines often operate under devastating conditions for both the environment and the people that work in them. Making sure that the majority of those metals can be recycled from devices reduces the demand for such mining operations.

While some materials in these devices can enter the cycle economy, there are others like lead glass that can"t be reused. These need to be separated and then disposed of at specialist sites using containers that make sure they are sealed indefinitely or until there"s a solution for dealing with it better.

Public opinion and media attention, and through countries and states introducing legislation, have forced many manufacturers to create their own recycling program for electronic items.

While they might not take care of the overall breakdown of the materials, many of them do offer to take back old computer monitors, printers, hard drives, phones, and laptops for free or a nominal fee.

LGoffers a simple process where you can find a drop-off site near you or mail your monitor in at your own expense. The company accepts all electronics that they manufacture, and they partner with some of the largest recycling companies.

Dellhas created a unique approach in that they offer a drop-off and mail-in service where they accept any brand of products. Whether it"s a Dell computer or old Canon printers, if you can attach it to a computer, they will accept it.

Many major electronics stores now offer a recycling program where you can drop off computers, laptops, TVs, monitors, and anything electrical that you bought there.

Now, it used to be the case that you could recycle a monitor if you bought it at the store and had the receipt or if you were buying a new monitor. But it seems like that wasn"t enough of an incentive, and many stores now allow you to drop off several devices per day even if you didn"t buy them there.

Stapleshave a drop-off point in their stores where you can bring pretty much any old computer equipment for free. This is mainly for consumer products and other electronic devices, but it does exclude large kitchen and household appliances.

Best Buy also has a drop-off program, and this is an ideal option if you have a broken monitor and need to head to Best Buy for a new one. Simply hand over the old one as you head into the store, and you"ve saved yourself a trip.

Walmart is rolling out a new concept called the ecoATM. This will allow you to bring old electronics to a designated ATM and then turn it into cash, depending on the age and state. It"s a great way to see if you have some hidden cash sitting in your basement or garage.

While most municipalities no longer run a curbside recycling program, a lot of them will have a drop-off center with an electronics recycling program.

This should be your first option if you have computer monitors that are relatively modern and still in working order. Many charities and Goodwill stores will happily accept electronics that could help out people with little financial means.

And the one thing that beats dropping off a computer monitor at a recycling program is to make sure that someone gets as much use out of it as possible.

Simply contact a local charity store or Goodwill and provide them with details about your device"s age and specifications, and they"ll quickly let you know whether they"ll accept it.

Not only will you do the right thing for the environment, but you"ll also help someone out to enjoy technology they otherwise might not be able to afford.

I already mentioned the services that GreenCitizen offers for a wide range of electronics. So, let"s take a closer look at the recycling program available.

If you"re in the San Francisco Bay Area and have some old monitors from personal home use, then GreenCitizen offers a free drop-off service . And the process couldn"t be any easier.

You just need to fill out a form with the details of the monitor and computers before you pack them up. Then call to the drop-off point at the GreenCitizen Burlingame EcoCenter and wait for a member of the team to meet you.

Not only will GreenCitizen ensure that everything is safely recycled, but they can also provide certification of safe data destruction for any storage devices.

If you"re not within driving distance of GreenCitizen, you can still opt for ourfree and fee recycling program. What you need to do is separate the free to recycle items and place those electronic devices in a separate box.

Then weigh the fee items and fill out the mail-in recycling form. All that"s left is to pay the fee online and receive the shipping instructions. You can then use your preferred shipping company to have your old computer monitors and other equipment sent to the recycling center.

GreenCitizen has created a Green Directoryof recycling service providers around the country with an easy-to-use search function. You simply enter what you need to recycle and what your zip code is, and you"ll receive the nearest company that offers a business collection or drop-off program.

Yes, old CRT monitors can be recycled. In most cases, it"s not possible to reuse them with modern computers, but they contain toxic metals that should end up in the trash or landfill.

No, most municipalities don"t operate a curbside recycling program for your old monitor. Leaving a monitor out in the open can also further damage it, making recycling more difficult.

The penalty for not recycling old computer monitors is different from state to state and county to county. In many cases, it ranges from $50 to several hundred dollars, which should be enough incentive not to throw it in the trash.

Yes, a monitor can store data. This is typically more common with smart TVs, but some monitors also have similar functions that could store login details for streaming services. It"s important that you use a data destruction service for such devices.

The easiest way to get rid of working electronics for free is to drop them off at Goodwill or a charity store. If they are relatively new, then you may also be able to recycle them for free at a local recycling center.

You"d be surprised how many homes still have an ancient CRT monitor somewhere in the basement, and getting rid of such equipment is important to avoid any of the harmful chemicals being released.

I strongly suggest starting your recycling effort with GreenCitizen, and even if they aren"t close enough to deal with your old computer screen, laptop, or other devices, our Green Directory will be able to point you to your closest service.

Where can you recycle your old crt or lcd monitor?  Crt monitor recycling and lcd monitor recycling is easy.  By allowing STS Electronic Recycling, Inc., to recycle your old crt monitor or lcd monitor you are helping safeguard against electronic waste polution.  A single crt monitor can contain up to six pounds of lead.  Lcd monitors contain harmful contaminants such as mercury.  Recycle your old or broken lcd and crt monitors.

Hard drive and hard drive data destruction are essential when recycling obsolete/unwanted computers and electronic equipment.  STS Electronic Recycling, Inc., guarantees hard drive data destruction in compliance with NIST hard drive data destruction recomendations.  Protecting personal/business data can save you money and safeguard against improper data destruction and potential data theft.  STS Electronic Recycling offers hard drive destruction tracking and an official certificate of data destruction for clients choosing to recycle their unwanted computers and electronics. Hard drive data destruction processes exceed Department of Defense requirements.

Proper electronics recycling can be achieved with STS Electronic Recycling, Inc.  It is important to use a reputable electronics recycler for disposal of out of date/obsolete computer and electronic equipment.  Making the environement a priority in electronics recycling is important to STS Electronic Recycling.  By practicing a no landfill policy for computers and electronics recycled at the STS Electronic Recycling, Inc., 50,000 sq. ft. facility, we insure a complete compliant recycling process.

Compliant computer, laptop and pc recycling goes further than turning over your obsolete/unwanted electronic equipment to a recycling company.   At STS Electronic Recycling, Inc., we aim to create the most environmentally friendly solution for each piece of electronic equipment recieved.  Recycling or disposing of your old electronic equipment and computers with STS Electronic Recycling assures the best solution for end of life electronics. Contact us at 903 589 3705 for information on recycling/disposing of your electronics.

When you replace your flat screen monitor with a new version, you have to figure out what to do with your old one. While it might seem tempting to just toss it in the dumpster, the chemicals and components inside the monitor are hazardous for the environment. Better to reuse or recycle instead.

E-Waste Issues Compared to the old, bulky CRT monitors of yesteryear, which contained pounds of lead, flat LCD screen monitors may seem downright eco-friendly. But the backlights in monitors manufactured before 2009 used mercury, a hazardous chemical to burn or let loose in the environment. The mercury-containing backlights were replaced in 2010 with LED lights, which aren"t toxic, but still need recycling to help companies recover some of the valuable materials inside.

What Not to Do Throwing your old monitor into the trash isn"t just wasteful and possibly dangerous, it may be illegal in your area. States and counties are cracking down on the dangerous materials released when this electronic waste, or e-waste, is tossed into landfills. Setting that old monitor out on the curb on trash day could earn you a fine.

Pay It Forward If the monitor still works well, consider donating it to a local school or charity. Women"s shelters, schools and churches could all use working computer equipment, or post an ad on Craigslist or Freecycle giving it away to whoever shows up first. Ask your friends and family if they could use a good working monitor. No sense sending it to be destroyed if it can still be use to someone.

Recycle For those monitors that have gone belly up and popped their last pixel, a recycling center is the path for you. Not every recycling center can handle e-waste, so call around to find one properly set up for old computer equipment. Search for “computer recycling” or “e-waste recycling” and your city online to find local places to take your old monitor. Some retailers and manufacturers take back old equipment for proper recycling, such as Best Buy and Dell, so check them out. In most cases you"ll have to pay a fee when you turn over your monitor, so shop around to find the best deal.

Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) have replaced Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) as the main display devices in recent years. To satisfy the increasing demands, billions of LCDs are manufactured annually. As more LCDs are produced and used, the amount of LCD waste is increasing at an alarming rate. Current treatment technologies can disassemble LCD into multiple components and recycle them according to their materials. However, there is no suitable model for treating LCD panels. Research has repeatedly shown the harmfulness of liquid crystal, indium and other heavy metals which LCD panels contain. As a result an increasing number of countries have classified LCD panels as hazardous waste. Because of this, future processing of LCD panel waste will require on-site burial, burning, or physical disposal, not only increasing processing costs, but also causing environmental damage. This is a huge problem. That is why this recycling technology for waste LCD panels is a kind of revolutionary breakthrough.

The pilot plant handles 3T of waste LCD panels daily, with a liquid crystal recycling rate of 100%, indium recovery rate of more than90% and glass recycling rate of 100%

Liquid crystal is the main component of LCD. It is a chemical with a high unit cost, high stability and low biodegradability. While the harmfulness of liquid crystal is uncertain, its structure contains a large volume of benzene rings, fluorine, chlorine, and bromine, which, if buried, may seep into subterranean water systems and impact ecosystems. Physical processing entails breaking down LCD panels and adding them to cement or concrete, which does not remove liquid crystals and heavy metals from the panels, so they may still enter and harm the environment following rain or washing. Based on environmental and economic considerations, the liquid crystal in the LCD panel should be reused.

To prevent the pollution caused by waste LCD panel disposal, and to control processing costs, ITRI thoroughly analysed the characteristics and reusability of each material contained in LCD panels, and designed a logical separation procedure according to the associations between each material, first separating liquid crystal, indium, and glass, and then developing purification technology for each material which enables the reuse of these materials. Liquid crystal can be reused in new LCDs or liquid crystal smart windows. Indium can be refined as the raw material of sputtering targets. Glass can become a humidity-controlling green building material or heavy-metal adsorption material.

ITRI’s pilot plant can treat 3 tons of waste LCD panel per day of operation, producing 3 kilograms of liquid crystal, 750 grams of indium, and about 2,550 kilograms of glass, which can be reused as humidity-controlling green building material or heavy-metal adsorption material. ITRI’s team uses the pilot plant for technical verification of on-line scrap LCD panels and end-of-life LCD panels. ITRI can build the LCD panel processing center for LCD manufacturers and e-waste recycling companies.

ITRI is a leading research and technology institute with more than 6,000 researchers. Its mission is to drive industrial development, create economic value, and enhance societal well-being through technology R&D. Founded in 1973, it pioneered in IC development and continues to nurture emerging tech ventures and deliver its R&D results to industries.

The search feature below enables you to find organizations that recover unwanted electronics. The organizations listed in this directory are participants in the Covered Electronic Waste Recycling Program established by California"s Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003. You should contact any of the listed organizations to determine the details of their services, hours, and any potential charges before loading up your vehicle.

CountyAlamedaAlpineAmadorButteCalaverasColusaContra CostaDel NorteEl DoradoFresnoGlennHumboldtImperialInyoKernKingsLakeLassenLos AngelesMaderaMarinMariposaMendocinoMercedModocMonoMontereyNapaNevadaOrangePlacerPlumasRiversideSacramentoSan BenitoSan BernardinoSan DiegoSan FranciscoSan JoaquinSan Luis ObispoSan MateoSanta BarbaraSanta ClaraSanta CruzShastaSierraSiskiyouSolanoSonomaStanislausSutterTehamaTrinityTulareTuolumneVenturaYoloYuba

CityAdelantoAgoura HillsAlamedaAlbanyAlhambraAliso ViejoAlturasAmador CityAmerican CanyonAnaheimAndersonAngels CampAntiochApple ValleyArcadiaArcataArroyo GrandeArtesiaArvinAtascaderoAthertonAtwaterAuburnAvalonAvenalAzusaBakersfieldBaldwin ParkBanningBarstowBeaumontBellBell GardensBellflowerBelmontBelvedereBeniciaBerkeleyBeverly HillsBig Bear LakeBiggsBishopBlue LakeBlytheBradburyBrawleyBreaBrentwoodBrisbaneBuelltonBuena ParkBurbankBurlingameCalabasasCalexicoCalifornia CityCalimesaCalipatriaCalistogaCamarilloCampbellCanyon LakeCapitolaCarlsbadCarmel-by-the-SeaCarpinteriaCarsonCathedral CityCeresCerritosChicoChinoChino HillsChowchillaChula VistaCitrus HeightsClaremontClaytonClearlakeCloverdaleClovisCoachellaCoalingaColfaxColmaColtonColusaCommerceComptonConcordCorcoranCorningCoronaCoronadoCorte MaderaCosta MesaCotatiCovinaCrescent CityCudahyCulver CityCupertinoCypressDaly CityDana PointDanvilleDavisDel MarDel Rey OaksDelanoDesert Hot SpringsDiamond BarDinubaDixonDorrisDos PalosDowneyDuarteDublinDunsmuirEast Palo AltoEastvaleEl CajonEl CentroEl CerritoEl MonteEl SegundoElk GroveEmeryvilleEncinitasEscalonEscondidoEtnaEurekaExeterFairfaxFairfieldFarmersvilleFerndaleFillmoreFirebaughFolsomFontanaFort BraggFort JonesFortunaFoster CityFountain ValleyFowlerFremontFresnoFullertonGaltGarden GroveGardenaGilroyGlendaleGlendoraGoletaGonzalesGrand TerraceGrass ValleyGreenfieldGridleyGrover BeachGuadalupeGustineHalf Moon BayHanfordHawaiian GardensHawthorneHaywardHealdsburgHemetHerculesHermosa BeachHesperiaHidden HillsHighlandHillsboroughHollisterHoltvilleHughsonHuntington BeachHuntington ParkHuronImperialImperial BeachIndian WellsIndioIndustryInglewoodIoneIrvineIrwindaleIsletonJacksonJurupa ValleyKermanKing CityKingsburgLa Canada FlintridgeLa HabraLa Habra HeightsLa MesaLa MiradaLa PalmaLa PuenteLa QuintaLa VerneLafayetteLaguna BeachLaguna HillsLaguna NiguelLaguna WoodsLake ElsinoreLake ForestLakeportLakewoodLancasterLarkspurLathropLawndaleLemon GroveLemooreLincolnLindsayLive OakLivermoreLivingstonLodiLoma LindaLomitaLompocLong BeachLoomisLos AlamitosLos AltosLos Altos HillsLos AngelesLos BanosLos GatosLoyaltonLynwoodMaderaMalibuMammoth LakesManhattan BeachMantecaMaricopaMarinaMartinezMarysvilleMaywoodMcFarlandMendotaMenifeeMenlo ParkMercedMill ValleyMillbraeMilpitasMission ViejoModestoMonroviaMontagueMontclairMonte SerenoMontebelloMontereyMonterey ParkMoorparkMoragaMoreno ValleyMorgan HillMorro BayMount ShastaMountain ViewMurrietaNapaNational CityNeedlesNevada CityNewarkNewmanNewport BeachNorcoNorwalkNovatoOakdaleOaklandOakleyOceansideOjaiOntarioOrangeOrange CoveOrindaOrlandOrovilleOxnardPacific GrovePacificaPalm DesertPalm SpringsPalmdalePalo AltoPalos Verdes EstatesParadiseParamountParlierPasadenaPaso RoblesPattersonPerrisPetalumaPico RiveraPiedmontPinolePismo BeachPittsburgPlacentiaPlacervillePleasant HillPleasantonPlymouthPoint ArenaPomonaPort HuenemePortervillePortolaPortola ValleyPowayRancho CordovaRancho CucamongaRancho MirageRancho Palos VerdesRancho Santa MargaritaRed BluffReddingRedlandsRedondo BeachRedwood CityReedleyRialtoRichmondRidgecrestRio DellRio VistaRiponRiverbankRiversideRocklinRohnert ParkRolling HillsRolling Hills EstatesRosemeadRosevilleRossSacramentoSalinasSan AnselmoSan BernardinoSan BrunoSan CarlosSan ClementeSan DiegoSan DimasSan FernandoSan FranciscoSan GabrielSan JacintoSan JoaquinSan JoseSan Juan BautistaSan Juan CapistranoSan LeandroSan Luis ObispoSan MarcosSan MarinoSan MateoSan PabloSan RafaelSan RamonSand CitySangerSanta AnaSanta BarbaraSanta ClaraSanta ClaritaSanta CruzSanta Fe SpringsSanta MariaSanta MonicaSanta PaulaSanta RosaSanteeSaratogaSausalitoScotts ValleySeal BeachSeasideSebastopolSelmaShafterShasta LakeSierra MadreSignal HillSimi ValleySolana BeachSoledadSolvangSonomaSonoraSouth El MonteSouth GateSouth Lake TahoeSouth PasadenaSouth San FranciscoSt. HelenaStantonStocktonSuisun CitySunnyvaleSusanvilleSutter CreekTaftTehachapiTehamaTemeculaTemple CityThousand OaksTiburonTorranceTracyTrinidadTruckeeTulareTulelakeTurlockTustinTwentynine PalmsUkiahUnion CityUplandVacavilleVallejoVenturaVernonVictorvilleVilla ParkVisaliaVistaWalnutWalnut CreekWascoWaterfordWatsonvilleWeedWest CovinaWest HollywoodWest SacramentoWestlake VillageWestminsterWestmorlandWheatlandWhittierWildomarWilliamsWillitsWillowsWindsorWintersWoodlakeWoodlandWoodsideYorba LindaYountvilleYrekaYuba CityYucaipaYucca Valley

The following table was tested using Chrome browser and NVDA.For NVDA users, enable Focus Mode to navigate the following table with selectable items.Or, press the Tab key to enter table and navigate cells using arrow keys.You may also use AudioEye’s Toolbar player that will announce table contents. If you are having trouble reading the table, please use the Export To Excel button to download to Excel.

E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their "useful life." Computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax machines are common electronic products. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled.

Important Reminder: Many electronic products (computers, cell phones, tablets, etc.) are used to store personal information. Before donating or recycling your equipment, remember to remove all sensitive and personal information from its memory.

Note that simply using your keyboard or mouse to delete files does not necessarily completely remove the information from your device’s memory. Your local software store can provide you with the necessary drive cleaning software appropriate for your system.

DISCLAIMER:The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) is dedicated to providing timely and accurate information to its constituents so that solid wastes can be managed in accordance with all applicable laws and policies.

electronic product discards, CalRecycle cannot guarantee that organizations listed as resources within this website are in full compliance with applicable rules at all times. CalRecycle conducts ongoing efforts to determine the scope of these organizations"

activities; however these may change without CalRecycle"s knowledge. The inclusion or exclusion of an organization from this list does not constitute an endorsement of that organization"s regulatory status or environmental performance.

Ames residents are not currently regulated for the disposal of e-waste; however, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires businesses to treat computer monitors (CRTs) and TVs as hazardous waste.

If you"re a resident and want to get rid of your own home computers or TVs, take them to Goodwill, Mid-Iowa Computers or Best Buy, or you can still throw them away. You will need to call your garbage hauler to find out if there"s an additional charge to pick these up for you at your residence with the rest of your trash. You can also bring them to the Resource Recovery Plant; we don"t charge per item, we charge by the vehicle: $10 per carload, $25 per pickup load. Only two units per residential customer will be accepted per day at the Resource Recovery Plant.

Goodwill Industries, 3718 Lincoln Way, Ames, accepts ONLY WORKING, FLAT SCREEN TVs that are cable-ready; no console or old tube-style TVs. They will accept computer monitors (and any other computer componentssuchastower, mouse, keyboard, printers, etc.) for refurbishing/resale and recycling, at no charge.

Best Buy, 1220 S. Duff Avenue charges $25 each to recycle your old TVs (up to 32"), laptops, or monitors under 32" measured diagonally, flat panel TVs under 37" measured diagonally, and any other old electronics. However, they do not take console TVs, nor small or large appliances. Click HERE for more info.

Trash collection for the City of Columbus is managed by the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection. The City collects trash from more than 340,000 households using trucks with mechanical arms to pick up and empty collection containers.

Look up your refuse, recycling and yard waste collection days. Print custom calendars for your home and sign up for telephone, e-mail or calendar reminders.

Electronic products are made from valuable resources and materials, including metals, plastics, and glass, all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves our natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing virgin materials.

Did you know? Texas has manufacturer take-back laws for both computers and televisions. Many of these offer mail-back programs at no cost to you! This is the easiest way to recycle your old computer or TV. To find out information on each program please visit the links below. Once there, find the manufacturer of the item you want to recycle and follow the link to the business page for recycling. Look for mail back options once there. Most provide a free shipping label that you just put on the box with the item and mail-back. This cost is covered by manufacturer per state law.

The North and South ESC locations both provide a drive through, drop-off site for Houston residents to bring their Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) and residential electronic waste or electronic scrap items.

Household hazardous waste or residential electronic scrap items should not be placed on the curb or in your automated container for garbage collection or heavy trash pickup.

Matharu AS, Wu Y (2008) Liquid crystal displays: from devices to recycling. In: Hester RE, Harrison RM (eds) Electronic waste management, issues in environmental science and technology. RSC Publishing, Cambridge UK

Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) – Joint declaration of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission relating to Article 9; http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm. Accessed 6 Feb 2011

Yuan Z, Shi L (2009) Improving enterprise competitive advantage with industrial symbiosis: case study of a smeltery in China. J Cleaner Prod 17:1295–1302

Eugster M, Huabo D, Jinhui L, Perera PJ, Yang W (2008) Sustainable electronics and electrical equipment for China and the world – a commodity chain sustainability analysis of key Chinese EEE product chains. International Institute for Sustainable Development, pp 1–91

Schluepa M, Hageluekenb C, Kuehrc R, Magalinic F, Maurerc C, Meskersb C, Muellera E, Wang F (2009) Sustainable innovation and technology transfer industrial sector studies: recycling from E-waste to resources. United Nations Environment Programme and United Nations University, Nairobi, Kenya

E-Waste Volume 1 Inventory Assessment Manual (2007) United nations environmental programme division of technology. Industry and Economics International Environmental Technology Centre, Osaka/Shiga

Ongondo FO, Williams ID, Cherrett TJ (2010) How are WEEE doing? A global review of the management of electrical and electronic wastes. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2010.10.023

Waste and Climate Change. Global Trends and Strategy Framework (2010) United Nations Environmental Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics International Environmental Technology Centre, Osaka/Shiga, pp 1–79

Boggio B, Wheelock C (2009) Executive summary: electronics recycling and E-Waste issues recycling and responsible disposal of consumer electronics, computer equipment, mobile phones, and other E-Waste. Pike Research LLC, Boulder, USA

Chancerel P, Meskers CEM, Hagelűken C, Rotter VS (2009) Assessment of precious metal flows during preprocessing of waste electrical and electronic equipment. J Ind Ecol 13(5):791–810

Directive 2002/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 2003 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment; http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/index_en.htm. Accessed 6 Feb 2011

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of HazardousWastes and Their Disposal; http://www.basel.int/text/con-e-rev.pdf. Accessed 6 Feb 2011

Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH), establishing a European Chemicals Agency, amending Directive 1999/45/EC and repealing Council Regulation (EEC) No 793/93 and Commission Regulation (EC) No1488/94 as well as Council Directive 76/769/EEC and Commission Directives 91/155/EEC, 93/67/EEC, 93/105/EC and 2000/21/EC; http://ec.europa.eu/environment/chemicals/reach/reach_intro.htm. Accessed 6 Feb 2011

Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2005). Official Journal of the European Union: L191/29-L191/58. http://www.energy.eu/directives/l_19120050722en00290058.pdf. Accessed 6 Feb 2011

Martin R, Simon-Hettich B, Becker W (2004) New EU Legislation (WEEE) Compliant Recovery Processes for LCDs. IDW 04 Proc of the 11th IDW: 583-586. http://www.lcdtvassociation.org/images/Proceeding_New_EU_Legislation_WEEE_Compliant_Recovery_Processes_for_LCDs-Merck_September_2008n.pdf. Accessed 6 Feb 2011

Lo S-F (2010) Global warming action of Taiwan’s semiconductor/TFT-LCD industries: how does voluntary agreement work in the IT industry? Technol Soc 32(3):249–254

Lei C-N, Whang L-M, Chen P-C (2010) Biological treatment of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) wastewater using aerobic and anoxic/oxic sequencing batch reactors. Chemosphere 81:57–64

You S-H, Tsai Y-T (2010) Using intermittent ozonation to remove fouling of ultrafiltration membrane in effluent recovery during TFT-LCD manufacturing. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 41:98–104

Kim Y-J, Qureshi TI (2006) Recycling of calcium fluoride sludge as additive in the solidification-stabilization of fly ash. J Environ Eng Sci 5(5):377–381

Lin K-L, Chang W-K, Chang T-C, Lee C-W, Lin C-H (2009) Recycling thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) waste glass produced as glass-ceramics. J Cleaner Prod 17:1499–1503

Wang HY (2011) The effect of the proportion of thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) optical waste glass as a partial substitute for cement in cement mortar. Constr Build Mater 25:791–797

Nakamichi M Jpn. Kokai. Tokkyo Koho JP 2005 227,508 (Cl. GO2F1/13), 25 Aug 2005, Appl. 2004/35,597, 12 Feb 2004. Decomposition method and apparatus for liquid crystals in recycling of liquid crystal panels. CAN: 143: 219606g

Felix J, Letcher W, Tunell H, Ranerup K, Retegan T, Lundholm G (2010) Recycling and re-Use of LCD components and materials. SID Symp Dig Tech Pap 41(1):1469–1472

Electronics donation and recycling is a great way to help conserve resources and natural materials. It is important to make sure you are donating and/or recycling electronics safely and correctly.

Electronic products are made from valuable resources and materials, including metals, plastics, and glass, all of which require energy to mine and manufacture. Donating or recycling consumer electronics conserves our natural resources and avoids air and water pollution, as well as greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing virgin materials.

For every million cell phones we recycle, 35 thousand pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold and 33 pounds of palladium can be recovered.

Lithium-ion batteries and devices containing these batteries should NOT go in household garbage or recycling bins. To learn more about proper disposal of batteries.

Manufacturers and retailers offer several options to donate or recycle electronics. You can search for options on the following organizations" websites: