Answer Woman: How to safely dispose of old computers, phones, other electronics? Why do it?

Tiana Kennell, Asheville Citizen Times
·5 min read
A reader asks about the best practices for disposing of electronic devices.
A reader asks about the best practices for disposing of electronic devices.

ASHEVILLE - A reader asks about the best practices for disposing of electronic devices. Do you have a question for Answer Man or Answer Woman? Email Executive Editor Karen Chávez at KChavez@citizentimes.com, and your question could appear in an upcoming column.

Question: I'm so old that I was born BC, Before Computers. I'm concerned about what is the safest way to dispose of old computers and other electronic hardware such as smartphones and monitors. Can the wiring be recycled or is that to simply be put in the trash? My concern is regarding someone being able to retrieve information. I've heard things like you need to remove the hard drive. Again, I'm so old that my definition of a hard drive is when I go from Asheville to Wisconsin to visit my relatives. I'm also interested in knowing where the safest place is to turn these devices in. Can they be taken somewhere any day of the week or are there specific rules that apply to electronics?

Answer: The safest way to dispose of old electronic devices and hardware and protect your personal information is to leave it in the hands of professionals.

“The number one way is you take your computer or your hard drive to a reputable repair shop and they will destroy it for you with the proper tools,” said Greg Mayer, owner of One Click Fix, a local IT company that services small businesses in Buncombe County.

One Click Fix doesn’t accept electronics or perform data wiping services as a part of its regular operations. However, several times a year, the staff at the Asheville-based business volunteers to collect electronic waste and printer cartridges at Hard 2 Recycle events, presented by Asheville GreenWorks, an environmental nonprofit that focuses on urban forestry, water quality and waste reduction.

“The computer comes to our truck, and we have a crusher that crushes the internal components of the hard drive right in front of them if they request,” Mayer said. “They can visibly see that the hard drive is destroyed beyond any useful purpose.”

GreenWorks also accepts computer monitors, laptops and televisions, as well as materials like Styrofoam, books, paper products, small appliances, batteries, cables and cords.

Computers are taken apart and parts are processed to be reused, said Eric Bradford, interim executive director of Asheville GreenWorks.

Upcoming Hard 2 Recycle events:

  • Sept. 9, 10 a.m.-2 p.m, North Buncombe High School, 890 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville.

  • Nov. 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m, T.C. Roberson High School, 16 Miami Circle, Asheville.

For event details and a list of accepted items, visit ashevillegreenworks.org/hard2recycle#accepted-items.

If you’d rather take the do-it-yourself route, Mayer advises using the factory reset function on cellphones and computers to clear data permanently.

“Factory reset — that’s the universal term for Windows, Mac, PC, Android, iPhone, iPad, iMac,” Mayer said. “A factory reset performed on a device should remove most traces of your data. The only sure way of getting rid of data that’s stored on a drive is to crush it, drill it or soak it (in water).”

He suggests looking up an instruction video on YouTube if needed.

If the device is still usable, you may consider donating it.

Some organizations and shelters accept and redistribute mobile devices to those in need at no cost, such as BeLoved Asheville, AHOPE Day Center, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry and Haywood Street Congregation, Bradford said.

There are companies that accept electronics that they then refurbish and resell to customers, too.

There are more reasons for not simply tossing electronics into the trash beyond preventing your personal information from falling into the wrong hands.

Keeping the items out of the landfills delays the need to expand landfills, Bradford said.

Electronics not disposed of properly create what’s called electronic waste, e-waste or e-scrap, which may be harmful to public health and the environment.

“The batteries and the components contain over 30 toxins and poisons that are dangerous to the environment,” Mayer said.

There are precious metals in the electronics that can be reused, too, Bradford said.

“The components inside of there are valuable, so why put it into the landfill? It’s just going to take up space in that landfill and after a while when it starts to break down, there could be some harmful items that are coming out of it like heavy metal,” Bradford said. “The most sustainable thing we could do is to take those products, remove those precious materials from there and reuse them again and again and again. Putting them in the landfill is the absolute worst thing we could do with them.”

Statista, a market and consumer data company, stated in its “Outlook on global e-waste generation 2019-2030” report: “The volume of electronic waste generated worldwide in 2019 was roughly 54 million metric tons. Several factors such as increased spending power and the availability of electronics have fueled e-waste generation in recent decades, making it the fastest growing waste stream worldwide.”

Statista projects that the trend will continue to rise and that by 2030, annual e-waste generation worldwide will have increased by nearly 30%.

Check out these resources to learn more about e-waste recycling services:

Read more answers to readers' questions:

  • Answer Woman: Are 2 new Starbucks still coming to Asheville? Find out here.

  • Answer Woman: Relief for traffic congestion at Hominy Creek Road waste, recycling station? Find out here.

  • Answer Woman: What's the oldest restaurant in Asheville? Find out here.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Old electronics piling up? Here's how to safely dispose