Originally published by the Electronic Recycling Association.

You probably wouldn't demolish your gently used car. So why are you doing it to your computers?

If it still works, it could make a big difference to someone who can't afford new equipment. Let's keep operational equipment out of smelters.

You have options when it comes to disposing of your electronics. There are countless recyclers who offer electronic recycling services, but one of the first things you should consider is the difference between reuse and recycling options.

• The majority of E-waste organizations are mandated only to recycle electronics rather than consider the reuse potential, thereby eliminating the possibility of reuse by individuals and organizations unable to afford new items.
• Breaking down operational equipment increases demand for brand new equipment, in turn increasing the necessity for virgin natural resources to be mined in order to meet demand.

Our primary course of action is to evaluate every item we receive for remaining productive life. Once confirmed, items that can be reused are refurbished and prepared to be redeployed into the marketplace. These items undergo stringent and reliable data sanitization (software or hardware based) and are tested for quality control and relevance. If items do not exhibit any reuse potential, they are sent to one of our accredited recycling partners for final recycling.

At the Electric Recycling Association, we believe reuse is the most responsible and beneficial first line of action, both from an environmental and social perspective. We believe destroying equipment that still offers usability is wasteful and unnecessary. Recycling has an extremely important place in the chain of custody, but should be utilized only once an item is truly proven to be of no further reasonable use.