cell phone recycling faq

Recycle Your Computer But Don’t Be A victim

In the United States, approximately 1.84 million tons of electronic waste were deposited in landfills from 2003-2005, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The e-waste which includes computer products, TV sets, and cell phones are also responsible for 70% of the toxic heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium now stewing in those landfills.

It is encouraging to note that today, the recycling rate for electronic items, computers in particular, have increased to about 18% as more and more Americans have become aware of the need for e-waste recycling and the danger these discarded products pose to our health and to the environment.

Do the right thing but don’t be victimized

A lot of people out there have opted to do the right thing – went out to recycle computers – only to fall victim to identity thieves and social engineering criminals who used the data left on these discarded computers to rob their victims’ bank, credit, or telephone accounts or assumed their identities in their nefarious activities. It is estimated that over 80 percent of users who discarded their computers left recoverable files like resumes, tax information, and passwords in their hard drives.

The basic rule of computer recycling: by all means, do the right thing and recycle your computer but protect yourself, at all times. Here are some basic steps you can take to ensure that all your sensitive information are wiped clean off your hardware before you turn them over to the recycler:

Retrieve Important Data

Your old computer contains a wealth of information you probably will need in the future. Files containing sensitive personal information, pass codes, pin numbers, bank information, tax filings, etc. need to be extracted and stored elsewhere temporarily. You can extract and transfer these files to portable storage devices like DVDs, CDs, extra hard drives, or flash drives. Online file storage is also a good option, just make sure you choose a reputable, secured, and reliable host, if you choose this route.

Erase Your Data – Permanently

Once your data is copied and stored securely elsewhere, it is now time to destroy the data in your old computer to prevent anyone from retrieving and using it later.

The wrecking ball or sledge hammer method

There’s no tech savviness required in this method, but physically destroying your hard drive, disk drives, etc. before sending your hardware to the recycler is the most reliable way to make sure no files can be recovered from your old computer.

Magnetize that disk

“Degaussing” is also another method to make the data in your hard drive irretrievable. This requires a magnet to be placed in close proximity to the hard disk, effectively erasing some data by rendering the domains in “random patterns with no preference to orientation, thereby rendering previous data unrecoverable.” Degaussing is not one hundred percent reliable since some domains may not be affected by the magnetic realignment and will remain intact containing recoverable data.

Overwrite Your Data

Using a specialized software, this method will overwrite your data with random characters several times, making it essentially unreadable. Data overwrite is considered to be a very effective method of securing your hardware and is the preferred method of erasing sensitive information by computer recycling companies themselves.

There are several standards used by software companies in these disk clean-up applications: basic, which overwrites the file with random data 4 times; the Department of Defense Standard, which overwrites the file 7 times; and the Super Secure Standard, which overwrites the file 24 times. Some applications perform an impressive 30 overwrites on a file, but the DOD standard is reliable enough.

Ask your recycler to do it

Most reputable recyclers consider it routine procedure to clean up the hard disks that they process for recycling and will provide a form of certification that your hard drive has been secured before disposal. If the information is not readily available in the company’s FAQ, ask the recycler if the service is available. Some may charge a small extra fee, since data clean-up entails additional manpower and equipment hours. If the recycler is vague about the information, walk away, it’s not worth the risk of your hard drive ending up auctioned in eBay with all the information intact.

Hopefully, when you recycle that computer or laptop you’re using right now, you will take the time to observe these basic precautionary measures. It is commendable that you’re helping to protect the environment by recycling your old computer, just don’t become a victim while doing the right thing.

About the Author

Michael Arms writes about cell phone and computer recycling security at the Pacebutler Recycling and Environmental Blog. You can sell, donate, or recycle cell phones through Pacebutler Corporation, an Oklahoma-based cell phone refurbishing and trading company.

Cell Phone Recycling: A student video from Keene State College

Power Bank Backup Battery For Cell Phone $55.99 Features : Built-in backup rechargeable battery for powering up your cell phone and tablet when you can�t find a power outlet. Provides a convenient mobile power source for your device. High-capacity rechargeable lithium batteries for increased energy efficiency. Built-in IC chip to prevent overcharging and short circuit. Can be recharged from a USB-powered port or a wall outlet. LED indicator. Built-in LED flashlight. Great for traveling, outages, emergencies, backup and other occasions. Compact and easy-to-carry. Comes with a travel adapter, 2 adapter cables, and 7 connectors for different cell phone models. Specifications : Input : DC5V/1A Output : DC5V/1A Charging speed : 1000mAh/hour Input charging time : 5-6 hours Recycling time : around 500 times Battery type : 18650 li-ion x 2 Battery capacity : 5600mAh Weight : 126g Dimensions (H x W x D) : 95mm x 43mm x 23.5mm Compatible with the following cell phone and tablet models : Amazon : Kindle 2, Kindle 3, Kindle 4, Kindle DX, Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch Apple : iPad, iPad 2, The New iPad (iPad 3), iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S AT&T : Garmin Nuvifone G60, 8525, Tilt 8925 AT&T : Avail, Fusion, U2800A, Z221, Z331 Barnes & Noble Nook Blackberry : 5810, 6210, 6220, 6230, 6280, 6510, 7100, 7100g, 7100i, 7100r, 7100t, 7100v, 7100x, 7105t, 7130c, 7130e, 7130g, 7210, 7230, 7250, 7270, 7280, 7290, 7510, 7520, Pearl 8100 8110 8120 8130, Curve 8300 8310 8320 8330 8350i, 8700c, 8700f, 8700g, 8703e, 8705g, 8800, 8820, 8830, Bold 9000 Blackberry : Pearl Flip 8220, Pearl Flip 8230, Curve 8520, Curve 8530, Curve 8900, Pearl 3G / 9100, Curve 3G / 9300 / 9330, Curve 9350, Curve 9360, Curve 9370, Storm 9500, Storm 9530, Storm2 9550, Tour 9630, Bold 9650, Style 9670, Bold 9700, Bold 9780, Torch 9800, Torch 9810, Torch 9850, Torch 9860, Bold 9900 4G, Bold 9930, PlayBook Casio : G’zOne Ravine (C751), G’zOne Commando (C771), G’zOne Ravine 2 (C781) Cingular : 2125, 8125, 8525, SMT 5600 Cricket : A100 / CalComp A100, Cricket CAPTR / CalComp A200, Cricket MSGM8 / CalComp A300, Cricket MSGM8 II / ZTE A310 Dell : Aero Dell : Venue Pro HP : iPAQ Glisten HTC : Droid Eris, Fuze, Hero, Imagio, Ozone, Pure, Snap, Tilt 2, Touch (Alltel Sprint Verizon), Touch Diamond (Alltel Sprint Verizon), Touch Dual, Touch Pro (Alltel Sprint Verizon), Touch Pro2, Mogul, TyTN, TyTN II HTC : Amaze 4G, Aria, Arrive, Desire, DROID Incredible, DROID Incredible 2, EVO 3D, EVO 4G, EVO Shift 4G, Freestyle, HD2, HD7, HD7S, Hero S, Inspire 4G, Merge, One S, One X, Radar 4G, Rezound, Rhyme, Sensation 4G, Status (ChaCha), Surround, Thunderbolt, Titan, Titan II, Trophy, Vivid, Wildfire (CDMA, GSM), Wildfire S Huawei : M228, M750, U7519 / T-Mobile Tap Huawei : Pillar (M615), Pinnacle (M635), Express M650 (Sprint Express), M735, M835, Ascend (M860), Ascend II (M865), Mercury (M886), U8652, Impulse 4G (U8800) Kyocera : Brio, Milano, Neo E1100, Tempo E2000, Rio (E3100), DuraCore (E4210), DuraMax (E4255), DuraPlus, Laylo M1400

Black Cell Phone Stand $6.99 Universal cell phone holder. Great for holding and displaying your cell phone or MP3 player. Keeps your device at a comfortable reading or viewing angle. Chic and unique design. Great for use at home or in the office. Made of plastic. Color : Black

Silver Cell Phone Stand $6.99 Universal cell phone holder. Great for holding and displaying your cell phone or MP3 player. Keeps your device at a comfortable reading or viewing angle. Chic and unique design. Great for use at home or in the office. Made of plastic. Color : Silver

• Previous Entry: Environmentally Products
• Next Entry: Benefits Of Green Living