Disposing of a computer & printer - advice needed

[Jodie]

How do I get rid of an old laptop? Do you know of anywhere I can properly dispose of it (besides taking it down to the transfer station on East Kent)?

Also, I've heard that I am supposed to remove and physically destroy the hard drive. How do I find the hard drive and how do I destroy it?

Are there any parts of this computer that could be safely reused without compromising my privacy? It has 512MB of RAM that were added a couple of years ago, and I think I could figure out how to pop them out.

I also have an inkjet printer that worked fine until I didn't use it for a long time and the heads got clogged. Is there anywhere that would take it off my hands and be able to fix it for reuse, or should I just dispose of it? Suggestions?

Thanks,
Jodie

 

[Aeiyah]

Here's a link to the places in Vancouver that will accept used electronics for recycling. Also, you can drop off used computed equipment at the following places


Regional Recycling Vancouver - 900 Evans Avenue 604-689-4722 (this is near the Home Depot on Terminal)
Salvation Army - 261 E. 12th Ave 604-874-4721
Salvation Army - 8384 Granville St. 604-267-4942
Vancouver Central Return-It Depot 2639 Kingsway 604-434-0707

 

[average]

what a waste

how old is it? does it work? you can donate it if you like after cleaned and erased looking for a idea?
http://www.laptopgiving.org/en/index.php

 

[MrR]

PM me if you just want to zap it and give it away. Beleive it or not it's easier than you might think. But yes, if it's 5+ years old just scrap it. When you can buy a new printer for the price of the ink cartridges, you are doing no one a favor by giving it, just scrap it. And your RAM... There is nothing on it, trust me. If you're worried there is I can tell you how to clean that too if you're giving it away, takes only a few seconds.

I'd say if it is in the 4 year old mark or newer, someone may want it, find it useful.

 

[Jodie]

Just to clarify, the laptop is broken, otherwise I would have donated it to a school or a family.

I just thought that maybe some of the functioning parts could be useful to someone, but it sounds like that's not the case, due to its age.

 

[average]

Oh well.
by the way very cute callipygian

 

[SeaToSky]

Can computer cases be sold as scrap metal ? Assuming you remove all the plastic parts.

 

[kafka555]

Here is the site showing which Encorp recycling depots accept electronics
http://www.encorp.ca/cfm/index.cfm?It=902&Lo=300,17&Se=40&Sv=depot

They'll recycle it (at least in a manner acceptable to Metro Vancouver waste management).

I gave them my old desktop, monitor and printer a few months ago.

 

[Jodie]

Thanks for all the advice and assistance! I killed the hard drive (it died a cruel death at the hands of my cordless drill) and I'm going to take the laptop and the printer to the Encorp depot on 1856 Powell Street.

 

[bcneil]

Can computer cases be sold as scrap metal ? Assuming you remove all the plastic parts.

sure, and you will make yourself a whole 30 cents, with the amount of metal

 

[SeaToSky]

sure, and you will make yourself a whole 30 cents, with the amount of metal

Of course I won't go sell just one computer case, but I have some scrap metal lying around collecting dust, and throwing them out seems such a waste. I'm trying to find out how much scrap dealers pay for scrap metal.