Reusing or Recycling Older Computer Equipment

The material in this article has been “recycled” from articles in Tech Talk and is&t and content from current web sites.

MIT produces a steady stream of outdated or unwanted computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, and other equipment. To handle this stream, the Institute has several programs in place for reuse or recycling of items, or disposal when appropriate.

The place to start is with MIT’s Property Manager, Michael McCarthy, whom you can reach at 253-2779 or mmccarth@mit.edu. Let him know what items you have, their MIT property tag numbers, and where they are located. For reuse, the equipment should be in good working condition.

McCarthy knows what hardware is popular at MIT, and maintains a “specific needs file” of items that departments, labs, and centers (DLCs) would like to acquire. When unwanted items aren’t on this wish list, McCarthy sends email to the appropriate “reuse” list to alert interested community members about equipment they might be able to use in their offices. The email lists under the “reuse” umbrella can also be used by any member of the community; if you want to see what others are offering, subscribe to the list at reuse-request@mit.edu. For details, see the MIT ReUse home page.

If computer equipment owned by MIT isn’t needed by anyone at the Institute, it can be sold; the procedure depends on how much it is worth. More expensive items are offered for sale on a sealed-bid basis; McCarthy informs the MIT reuse-sell list as well as appropriate dealers about what’s available. Older, less expensive items are sold on a cash basis. (Massachusetts sales tax is collected from buyers.) In either case, the MIT department that owned the equipment receives 90 percent of the selling price and the other 10 percent goes to the Property Office as an administrative fee.

Excess property that was purchased through a government contract or grant should be screened to determine whether it meets the needs of other contracts. McCarthy works with MIT’s government property administrator to ensure that any equipment bought with government funds is handled properly.

But Wait, There’s More
Once departmental equipment is deactivated by the Property Office, DLCs have a range of options for reuse or recycling. To get a deactivation tag, contact Ken McLaughlin of the Property Office at kenmc@mit.edu.

• The Equipment Exchange. Located in WW15 at 350 Brookline Street, the Equipment Exchange offers items for sale and interdepartmental transfer. There is no charge for items claimed by other MIT departments but, coming or going, departments must arrange to move the equipment. For details, see the MIT Property - Resources page.

• Donations to nonprofits. MIT allows contributions of older computers to various nonprofit organizations. If you’re interested in this alternative, see the box below.

• Recycling through the MIT Department of Facilities. You can recycle computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, and other equipment through Facilities. Instead of bringing your unwanted equipment to the former drop-off zones in Buildings E19 and 3, Facilities will now pick up equipment at your office for the cost of labor: about $40 for 1–10 computers and $80 for 11–20 computers.

Facilities hires an outside contractor, East Coast Electronics, to recycle unwanted IT equipment. This includes cathode ray tubes (CRTs), such as those in older computer monitors and TV sets. By Massachusetts law, CRTs must be reused or recycled rather than sent to landfills or incinerators. The contractor adheres to a strict “No Landfill” policy.

To arrange for pickup of unwanted equipment, DLCs should submit an Internal Provider requisition through SAPweb. For the vendor, type in Dept. of Facilities Services and indicate MIT Movers. If you are concerned about expenses, consider sharing costs by recycling in tandem with another DLC.

Any questions about this process may be directed to Jarrod Jones, the Recycling Coordinator, at 253-6360 or recycling@mit.edu.

• Recycling smaller electronics and media through Technocycle. Facilities also sponsors the Technocycle program for the disposal of cell phones, pagers, PDAs, CDs, diskettes, audio and video tapes, and rechargeable batteries. (Be sure to delete sensitive data before you toss!)

The Technocycle recycling bins are located in most of the distributed mail centers (DMCs) on campus. Another option for disposing of small electronic devices and media is to send them, via campus mail, to Technocycle in Building NW62.

Material in the Technocycle bins also goes to East Coast Electronics for secure and proper disposal.

• Recycling toner cartridges. You can recycle small, empty toner cartridges using the postage-paid envelopes found in the DMCs. Large, empty toner cartridges can be returned to the manufacturer in the same box in which they came. Instructions come with the packaging.

The Campus Recycling Scene
For more information on what can be recycled at MIT, see Facilities’ Environmental Initiatives page.

Donating Computers to Nonprofit Organizations
Once departmental computers have been deactivated, DLCs have the option of donating them to nonprofits. Before doing so, DLCs should send a list of the items to Ken McLaughlin of the Property Office at kenmc@mit.edu.

Here are three organizations that are accepting computers in working order.

• CommuniTech/Used Computer Factory
Email: ucf-staff@mit.edu
For underserved local families. Accepts Pentium III or above.

• M.N. Adamov Memorial Fund
Email: ssussman@mit.edu
For blind students and professionals in Russia. Accepts compact desktops (Pentium IV) or laptops.

• World Computer Exchange
Email: Boston@WorldComputerExchange.org
For underserved youth worldwide. Accepts Pentium III or above; Mac G3 or G4.