Electronics Update—Fall 2000

by Deborah Orrill, CalMAX Coordinator

San Francisco, CA—San Francisco small business owners and residents can recycle their unwanted computers through a free recycling service offered by eight San Francisco computer stores and four computer recyclers. The service was initiated by Supervisor Alicia Becerril who introduced the Used Computer and Electronic Equipment Collection Pilot Project Resolution, adopted by the Board of Supervisors and signed by Mayor Willie L. Brown, Jr. in January of this year. The resolution urged the city's Solid Waste Management Program to develop a used computer pilot project and identify companies and retailers willing to participate in a collection program.

"Since the amount of obsolete computer and electronic equipment is growing dramatically, it is vitally important for San Francisco to have a recycling program. Not only does this program reduce landfill waste; it also prevents hazardous materials from being released into our soil and groundwater. I commend the participating retail companies for working with the City of San Francisco and showing leadership on this important environmental issue," said San Francisco Supervisor Becerril.

According to a recent study by the National Safety Council, 31.6 million personal computers will become obsolete in the United States this year and 63.4 million will become obsolete in 2005. Only 14 percent of the computers that became obsolete in 1998 were recycled or refurbished. Small business owners and residents contribute only a small fraction of the electronics equipment that is recycled.

Small business owners and residents can drop off their computers and peripherals at one of the twelve participating computer stores or recyclers. Recyclers will also collect those computers dropped off at the local stores. Depending on the model and condition, the computers will be reused as is, upgraded, used for parts and/or recycled back into raw materials. In some case they will be refurbished and donated to schools, nonprofit organizations or low-income families to help bridge the "digital divide." Residents and small businesses should drop-off their computers as soon as possible because the program may end at any time (see list below).

Drop-Off Locations:  Computer Recyclers

H.M.R.
(415) 647-6071

SFUSD
Computer Recycling Center
(415) 643-6200

Community Computer Center
(415) 822-4144

Resource International
(415) 671-4905

Drop-Off Locations: Computer Stores

CBE Systems
(415) 956-5524

Central Computer Systems, Inc.
(415) 495-5888

Compu-Data
(415) 495-3422

D-Net Computer
(415) 668-9311

First Computer
(415) 981-6666

PC Express
(415) 957-9952

The Happy Mac
(415) 337-4090

The Mac Place
(415) 239-2266

To receive a free commercial reuse and recycling directory listing of all local computer recyclers, please call the San Francisco Recycling Program at (415) 554-3400. For further information call the San Francisco Recycling Program at (415) 554-3439, ask for Robert Haley.

Latest Breaking E-News

Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), the Repair, Resale and Reuse Technical Council of CRRA, and the GrassRoots Recycling Network is asking individuals and businesses to write to their computer company officials, and ask "Where can I take my old computer?"
The GrassRoots Recycling Network has provided a Web site with an automated e-letter, which can be customized and is available when you access their Web site.
www.grrn.org/e-scrap/e-scrap_action.html.

For more electronics information, go to the SVTC Web site at: http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/eccc.htm.

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Last updated: August 01, 2008