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Journal and Courier News 2007
 (By Michael Heinz/Journal & Courier) Dave Crouse of Midwest Ewaste talks about his business Monday in Lafayette. The company picks up discarded electronic equipment refurbishes or recycles the items. |
| At a glance Company: Midwest Ewaste Address: 1600 Main St., Lafayette History: Company was launched in June Work force: One Web site: www.MidwestEwaste.com |
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For the past four months, businesses and individuals in Greater Lafayette have had a new place to take their unwanted electronic waste for recycling.
Midwest Ewaste offers pick up service for items ranging from computer systems, printers, copiers, fax machines and telephones to public address systems, uninterruptible power supplies and aluminum cans.
"Heck, we'll even take that leaky old coffee maker off your hands," said company owner Dave Crouse. "I've been a consultant for hundreds of computer rooms. Every company I ever went to had 'stuff they had to get rid of.'
"It's a huge problem for those companies -- especially now. Old computers, old hard drives have data on them. You can't put them in a Dumpster. Someone can get in and then they have your information. We make every effort to obfuscate that information."
Using software from the U.S. Department of Defense, Midwest Ewaste can securely wipe data from hard drive disks. They also remove asset tags or other identifiable markings.
Some items are refurbished for resale while others have plastic, brass, copper, aluminum and other material removed for recycling.
Midwest Ewaste will pick up used equipment free of charge for churches, schools and nonprofit organizations. It charges $30 per hour to remove items from business locations, and has 24-hour drop off boxes available at its shop for individuals to dispose of their consumer electronics in an ecologically responsible way.
Collection boxes also are available at Computers Made Easy, at 2228 Concord Road in Lafayette.
"I think it's a great thing. Otherwise, a lot of this stuff goes to the landfill and it's toxic," Computers Made Easy president Tedd Riehle said of the Midwest Ewaste efforts. "When you're faced with disposing of a computer monitor, what do you do? I'd like to see more people get involved in the program. I think it's a good service, a really good deal."
Refurbishing and recycling discarded electronic equipment has meant a busy summer for Crouse.
"In four months we grew 30 times. From (handling) roughly one ton to 30 tons. The growth has been phenomenal," said Crouse. "With my expertise and 28 years of computer experience, we can breathe life into something that has been declared unrepairable."
