Old equipment disposal - Free companies?

[park_bench]

Hello everyone.

I work in a school in Lancashire. We have many old CRT screens, dodgy old base units and even a couple of photocopiers to dispose of.

I know there are a couple of companies that offer to pick up all the old unwanted rubbish for free, as they strip the bits down and reclaim the salvage money.

The companies I know of operating in the North-West are "GAK-IT" and "North West Computer Recycling" (or something like that). However, I don't have any contact details for these companies (they dont have a web-presence).

Does anyone have contact details for these or any other Equipment disposal company please?

[petectid]

Lancashire computer waste disposal 01254 726303
Electronic recycling 0151 2285626

[park_bench]

Thanks Pete,

I'll try one of those - Lancashire Computer Waste Disposal is closer to us - have you had any dealings with this company?

Cheers,
Ben

[LCWS]

Blatent spam removed! - Ric_

[Firefly_Transport]

I used this contact; please rember though they are not a dumping ground. They will come an take away a great deal stuff with good warning and have been very helpful in put working but redudant equipment back to use.

They will have to dispose of anything they cannot use and charge you for that - however that charge has been rather better than average.

Feel free to contact me if you want to know/checkup on anything.

Contact:
Dave George
ICT Manager

Cooke e-Learning Foundation
5 Herbert Avenue
Belgrave
Leicester
LE4 5DW
Tel: 0116 2661050

[dezt]

I have used Lancashire computer waste disposal 01254 726303 in the past.

They have been very good taking 2 van loads of computrs and monitors away with no problems.

[garthsmojo]

Weve used lancashire computer waste services on numerous occations. They take any thing IT based faxes cables dead or alive monitors etc. A very good efficient service and all at no cost.

[starscream]

anyone know any companies that do this in the North East? I can only find manchester based ones that cost the earth. We did have a local company that removed each item for £4 each and all cabling and what not was free and they even gave us a document with all the serial numbers of equipment disposed of.

Shame but they've shut down now.

[m25man]

Under the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations that come into effect on the 1st July 2007 company directors, principles, CEO's and responsible officers who break the new rules could face unlimited fines and even criminal prosecution.

The imminent legislation has left many businesses confused as to what their responsibilities will be when disposing of surplus electronic equipment.

Current guidelines show it will affect not only manufacturers but all importers, distributors, retailers, resellers and end-users, even those who may reasonably believe that they've complied with the law.

The Environment Agency and DEFRA will pursue the person who "last used the equipment" not just the person who carried out any illegal dumping.

This has caused a great deal of controversy amongst the smaller resellers and indeed anyone manufacturing their own PC's.
(Would be interested to see what SCL have to say about this).

It is your responsibility to ensure that the equipment you dispose of is handled according to WEEE directives, failure to do so may result in you and your school being prosecuted with fines of up to £30,000 being imposed!

So before you fill up that Silver Transit Van with Irish number plates with all of your old pc's and monitors make sure that you have all of the required paperwork from your contractor to ensure your WEEE compliance.
If just one of your systems turns up in a landfill with your postcode etched on it and you do not have proof that it was passed on in accordance with WEEE you could be in deep do do...

If they are certified they will have all of the required paperwork to offer you.
If any company claims they will take it all for free, and they are NOT certified for WEEE disposal I would probably have to draw up a bill of sale with all items detailed, serial nos etc etc and take £1 from them assigning ownership and more importantly any WEEE responsibility over to them.

File it and retain it for 6 years.

Under the gise of cleaning up the planet you can be sure that men with clipboards will be scouring the local dumping grounds looking for your old system units in the hope of slapping a huge fine on your establishment!

[FN-GM]

why dont you drop them off at some charity shops?

[Andrew_C]

They may not welcome them due to electrical safety/liability issues.

[witch]

I've said it before and I will say it again:

Freecycle it!

Freecycle is a yahoo group all over the country where people advertise stuff they don't want and others come and get it

I managed to get rid of 27 working and 8 non-working computers this way, with no cost to the school (no thanks either, but that is another matter!)

A warning though - you might want to set up a new email for freecycle - you get a lot of emails!!

[enjay]

why dont you drop them off at some charity shops?

That just transfers the problem doesn't it! Also, you will find that many charity shops won't take them due to a) the electrical safety implications and b) the difficulties disposing of them if they don't sell. There are organisations that will refurbish and redistribute PCs, but they understandably have minimum spec requirements, which are often greater than anything which a school is chucking out.

Even if you do find someone willing to take them, it would only help you get rid of working equipment - you still need to find a means of disposing of dead equipment.

[elsiegee40]

I've said it before and I will say it again:

Freecycle it!

Just registered for it WITCH and instantly found someone asking for any old computers and peripherals!

Just issued an invitation to him to inspect the contents of the school shed with me!

Lin

[witch]

Great!
I hope you get rid of everything you can.
Glad to be of help