Resources – End of Life Management
The resources below are provided to assist Partners in the management of unwanted electronic equipment. These resources cover donation for reuse by third parties as well as environmentally sound recycling. Partners should also check to see if their state has additional requirements or contracts for equipment disposition. [Go to State Links.]
Resources aimed at extending the life of equipment within your organization are provided on the Operations & Maintenance Resource page. Additional resources will be added as they are developed or identified.
General
Reuse and Donation
There may be useful life left in your unwanted equipment. Reuse and donation programs help put useful equipment into the hands of organizations and individuals that can use them. Partners should first check with their organization for any policies or procedures for handling unwanted equipment.
- Do the PC Thing: Donate Computers
This fact sheet was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Computer Recycling Center/Computers in Education, Computer Recycling For Education, Computers for Schools, Goodwill Industries International, Inc., Hargadon Computer, Intel, National Cristina Foundation, Rethink, San Francisco Dept. of Environment, Students Recycling Used Technology (StRUT) Silicon Valley, Tech Soup (Compumentor), and Truecycle.
- Where Can I Donate Computers and Cell Phones?
This U.S.EPA site provides links to organizations that provide reuse services or link donors and recipient organizations.
- Sample Instructions to Recipients of Donated Equipment
This document, authored by the Federal Electronics Challenge, provides an example of the type of instructions that an organization might provide to the recipient of its equipment.
Recycling Guidelines & Standards
Electronics contain reusable materials as well as hazardous materials that may pose a threat to the environment and human health if not disposed of properly. Ensuring responsible electronics recycling is good for the environment and your facility. The following resources will help you develop a recycling program and to select a reputable electronics recycler.
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Responsible Recycling Demo E Scrap Processing & Why Certification Matters Posted June 2012 - This is a recording of a webinar. Please be advised this is a large file and will take several minutes to download.
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Metech Recycling Responsible Recycling Posted June 2012
- Third Party Certification of Electronics Recyclers Posted February 2012
The SEC end-of-life program requirements call for the use of a recycler that has achieved third-party certification to the Responsible Recycling Practices (R2), the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment®, or R2/RIOS. This document explains what third-party certification means, and provides links to finding recyclers that have achieved certification.
- Comparisons of e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and R2: Insights on Business and Environmental Benefits
This article, published in May 2011 in the Electronic Waste Journal, presents a comparison of the third-party certifications that are currently available to e-waste recyclers.
- Responsible Recycling Practices (R2)
This document sets forth responsible recycling (“R2”) practices for use in accredited certification programs that assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, health and safety, and security practices.
- The e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment®
- Several Partner-only Webinars have discussed certification and of end-of-life requirements under the Challenge.
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- Checklist for Selection of Electronics Recycling Services
This checklist, developed by the Federal Electronics Challenge, provides basic questions to ask an electronics recycler about its operations, and can be completed over the telephone with a potential vendor. It was designed as an initial screening tool to be followed by a more thorough evaluation such as an onsite review using the guidelines below.
- Guidelines for Onsite Reviews of Electronics Recyclers
These guidelines, developed by the Federal Electronics Challenge, can be used to conduct an on-site evaluation of a contractor that your organization might be considering for managing its surplus equipment. This document provides a detailed list of questions to ask a potential vendor and tips on how to interpret responses and what generally accepted practices are.
- Packaging Instructions for Recycling Equipment (PDF)
This document, developed by the Federal Electronics Challenge, provides step-by-step guidance on packaging equipment prior to transfer for recycling. It includes instructions for electronic peripherals, CPUs, and computer monitors, and lists specific packaging materials that can be used to prevent breakage and contamination.
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Electronics Recycling Collectors Best Management Practices Posted October 2011
Ensuring that entities collecting electronics for reuse or recycling are properly handling, storing, and sending the materials for reuse or recycling is an important first step in the practices leading to responsible end-of-life management of the materials. New best management practice standard recommendations have been developed by the Electronics Recycling Coordination Clearinghouse. This document is a presentation made at the 2011 E-Scrap Conference summarizing those standards.
Media Sanitization
- Media Sanitization Considerations for End of Life Electronics
This resource, developed by the Federal Electronics Challenge, discusses media sanitization options, including NIST recommendations based on security categorization and destination.
- NIST Guidelines for Media Sanitization
The National Institute for Standards & Technology (NIST) provides recommendations for computer security, including media sanitization in its publication SP 800-88.