Inside Iowa State

June 7, 2007

Free computer recycling program expires June 28

by Anne Krapfl

Tired of looking at that closet full of used computer equipment? Iowa State is participating in a free computer recycling program offered by the Apple computer corporation. But hurry -- all equipment must be processed through ISU Surplus and ready for Apple pickup by June 28.

Apple has extended the offer to all accredited K-12 and higher education institutions. It excludes computers that employees of those schools own personally and use at their homes. The company will recycle and dispose of used computer and related equipment -- of any brand -- using environmentally acceptable methods. The list of accepted equipment includes:

• Computers
• Monitors
• Keyboards and mice
• External drives
• Televisions
• Printers
• Scanners
• Copiers: desktop models only
• Fax machines

Apple will not accept UPS (uninterruptible power supply) units, monitors and TVs with broken or cracked CRTs, CRTs that have been removed from their cases, scientific instruments, and batteries that aren't part of a computer system to be recycled. (Broken, cracked and non-intact CRTs and rechargeable batteries still are collected for disposal by ISU Environmental Health and Safety. For more information, click on "Unwanted Materials Removal" at the EH&S home Web site.)

"This is an unprecedented -- and likely one-time -- offer by the Apple Corporation to recycle computer equipment manufactured by any company," noted Warren Madden, vice president for business and finance. "Recycling or reselling computer equipment appropriately is something we spend a lot of time and money on. This program provides a window of opportunity to do that without the transportation and disposal fees."

He estimated that it costs the university about $15 (plus storage, labor and transportation costs) to recycle the components of a single personal computer.

"We hope units and departments will take the time now to assess what they have and what they ought to recycle through this environmentally responsible program," Madden said.

Getting started

All computer equipment to be recycled should be processed through ISU Surplus using the same method as other excess university property. Call Mark Ludwig, ISU Surplus supervisor, 232-2285, to alert him you have equipment for this recycling program.

The excess property disposal form is online at the ISU Surplus Web site (go to "Central Stores" and click on "ISU Surplus"). Remember that federally funded equipment purchases may have unique disposal requirements and may not qualify for this recycling program.

Hard drives should be cleaned before units are sent to ISU surplus, and IT Services staff will do their best to accommodate these requests. However, in order to expedite this unusual recycling opportunity and in case departments can't clean the hard drives on their computers by the deadline, ISU Surplus staff will make sure hard drives are cleaned off before computers are bundled for shipping.

Getting rid of it

When the disposal form is complete, units may drop off the equipment at the university's new surplus and storage facility (formerly the Sevde Relocation warehouse) or, if the volume is large, call Ludwig or Norm Hill, Central Stores manager, 4-5752, to arrange for pickup.

Items may be dropped off from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, June 11-28. The storage facility is located at 1102 Southern Hills Dr., between Highway 30 and Airport Road and east of the research park. Take South Riverside Drive off of Airport Road to Southern Hills Drive. The facility is located behind the Sevde storage units.

ISU units coordinating the recycling project are: Business Services, Environmental Health and Safety, ISU Surplus and IT Services.

For more information, contact Ludwig or Hill.

Iowa State is participating in a free computer recycling program offered by the Apple computer corporation. The company will recycle and dispose of used computer and related equipment -- of any brand -- using environmentally acceptable methods. The only catch: get it done by June 28.