Indiana Living Green News 2008
Information Leaks
Written by Kim Brand
Along with the trash that piled up from holiday gifts are outdated computers, BlackBerry devices and other dataloaded discards.
Your first impression about recycling computers and other electronics may be: This is easy! You just unhook all the wires from the back of your old computer, pop it in the trunk of your car and take it to a church or school. Or, just toss in the trash. Simple, yes, but wrong! Such pass-alongs or disposals are fraught with security and contamination risks.
Individuals are as vulnerable to security risks as corporations are when it comes to protecting proprietary or personal information. “The concern over information is at an all time high,” said Mark Vander Kooy, owner of Asset Forwarding of Indianapolis. His company serves corporate clients nationally with a one-stop solution to efficiently and securely move, remove and recycle their technology.
“The electronic recycling industry has changed immensely over the last few years,” Vander Kooy said. “Customers are demanding a transparent chain-ofcustody throughout the asset-disposal process. We encourage our corporate customers to ask the tough questions about exporting eWaste and take a look at their recycling partner.”
These security and contamination issues also apply to consumers when it comes to getting rid of old computer and other data-retaining equipment.
What to worry about?
Computers have become central to our lives. We store all sorts of information on them, from grandma's cookie recipe to our half-finished novel. A lot of what we store is confidential, such as tax returns, bill payments and personal correspondence. Small businesses may have proprietary information and customer accounts stored on their computers. All of that information goes with the computer whether you donate or dispose unless you delete it. The problem is that even if you delete all you can find, some may still be hiding there! It may be impossible to locate and delete confidential or personal information about you or others. Even if you are giving your computer to a friend or relative, you can't be sure where it will end up later. It's better to be safe than sorry and retain or destroy the hard drive.
However, a computer without a hard drive is useless. A hard drive stores the operating system (OS) - an expensive and complex program that makes your computer work. Experts recommend creating an image of your hard drive before you start using it. When you're ready to get rid of it, simply replace what's on your hard drive with the image. That takes care of erasing your stuff and gives the next person a useful system.
Where does it all go?
Even though electronic computers and gadgets have gotten much smaller, they still contain material that can harm the environment. There are so many of them, and new ones replace the old so fast, that it has become a real problem just to get rid of the tons of eWaste generated every year. Between 1994 and 2003, disposal of computers alone resulted in 718,000 tons of lead, 287 tons of mercury, and 1,363 tons of cadmium being placed in landfills, according to a report of Electronic Waste Recycling Promotion and Consumer Protection Act, published by Columbia University. It is no longer responsible to simply toss an old computer, printer, phone or fax machine in the dumpster. And many schools, churches and charities don't want them either.
The Virtual Scavengers Project is an Indianapolis-based not-for profit that accepts eWaste and turns it into training and jobs. “Our mission is to keep electronics out of landfills, give poor people access to technology and provide technology training,” says John Crooks, president of Virtual Scavengers. “We use old PCs to teach people about technology so they can find jobs.”
Virtual Scavengers partners with AT&T and Indianapolis Public Schools to get computers into the hands of students at a reduced price. “We sell them PCs for $40 and AT&T offers broadband Internet for only $15 a month,” Crooks said. “There's no reason why anybody who wants one can't have a computer.”
Dave Crouse, owner of Midwest Ewaste in Lafayette, Ind., is out to prove that “it's possible to be environmentally friendly and not take state funding.” His business sells complete PCs for $100 including the Linux operating system and a full package of software. His company accepts eWaste from consumers and businesses for a nominal fee that covers disposal costs.
Responsible eWaste processors take apart or shred electronics that don't work or are obsolete and separate and sell the valuable metals and other parts that can be recycled. This allows them to make money and keep the harmful materials out of the environment, redirecting tons of eScrap out of landfills.
“Recycling technology is becoming a mainstream issue,” said Eric Goldsmith, owner of the Goldsmith Group, an Indianapolis eCycling company. “New laws will prohibit the irresponsible disposal of eWaste to protect the environment.”
Recycling electronics has become a revenue stream for savvy businesses, according to Vander Kooy and Goldsmith. These and other vendors pay their clients for equipment that can be sold in retail outlets, which is what Goldsmith does, or through secondary markets, which is how Asset Forwarding handles its volume. The data are removed or destroyed before recycled equipment is sold.
“There is a big demand for old equipment that can be put to good use. I wish more people considered recycling,” Goldsmith said. 
