We get asked, “What happens to the electronics we bring in for recycling?” This is a good question and one I’d like to address right now. Unfortunately, the cost of recycling electronics is high, which is why it’s so hard to find anyone doing it! Pineywoods Computer has found a way to provide this service for FREE to our community. Here’s how we are able to provide this service free to our community:
1) After erasing all the data on the device, anything that can be refurbished and reused, is cleaned up, reformatted, and set up like a new machine. Ideally, a totally recycled product is 100% reused.
2) Devices deemed unworthy for refurbishing are evaluated for working parts that may still be used. Parts are removed and tested. Good parts are often listed and sold on eBay.
3) Electronic parts not sold for reuse but have a decent amount of metals in them are separated boxed and sold to e-Scrap buyers that extract the precious metals out and properly dispose of the rest. Our e-Scrap buyer is certified “landfill-free”.
4) Parts like power supplies that don’t pass testing and cases, broken screens, etc., that can’t be sold for scrap or resold for use are boxed up and transported to an electronics recycler in Dallas.
Each step of this process costs money in labor and materials. The most expensive part is the separating of the parts for e-Scrap and shipping the unusable technology waste to Dallas (we found the least expensive way was to haul it ourselves in a covered trailer). The materials we are able to resell pretty much cover the costs of labor and shipping. It’s not a “money maker” for us, but it does allow us to provide a much-needed service to our community!