by Amanda Wills, Earth911.com, 11/3/10

Q: What’s a trustworthy place to donate computers? I’m concerned about my privacy and guaranteeing everything will be wiped off the computer’s memory/drives. – Sherry Shapiro

A: Many recyclers will guarantee your hard drive is wiped before recycling. However, it’s always best to clear those files yourself before bidding farewell to your old computer.

With an increase in reports of companies carelessly dumping toxic e-waste overseas in developing countries and improperly handling this type of waste, choosing a legitimate e-cycler is one of the most important things to think about when recycling your defunct electronics.

For those readers that are unfamiliar with this highly controversial e-waste dilemma, we’ll give you a quick rundown. Oftentimes, informal recyclers export electronic waste to developing countries. In this type of unverified recycling sector, many of these electronics are bashed, burned, flushed with acids and melted down in unsafe conditions, affecting the health of residents.

Twenty-three states have passed e-waste recycling legislation, however, an industry-wide standard or federal regulation prohibiting e-waste exportation overseas does not yet exist. However, we’re getting closer as manufacturers, consumers and government officials are pushing concrete rules and regulations.

Here’s the good news: in late September, U.S. Representatives Gene Green and Mike Thompson introduced the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act of 2010, an effort to stop U.S. “recyclers” from dumping electronic waste in developing countries. The new bill would be a step forward in establishing this type of federal legislation against dumping.

The bad news is that this bill will have to go through a lot of red tape and revisions before it is officially put into action. In the meantime, there are programs and certifications you can use as references to ensure your electronics are properly recycled and your personal information is safe.

First, familiarize yourself with the ISO 14001, which addresses a series of well-rounded aspects of environmental management. If you are talking to an e-waste recycler and they do not know what ISO 14001 is, that should raise a red flag.

Other certifications to look for include the Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices, which is facilitated by the U.S. EPA. R2 contains criteria regulating export, but it doesn’t ban the export to developing countries. It ensures recyclers are only exporting to countries that legally accept the electronics, though critics argue it gets a bit vague after that. R2 also ensures that personal data is cleared or destroyed.

The Basel Action Network’s e-Stewards certification is another comprehensive global program that has quickly become one of the most well-known certifications in the industry. e-Stewards builds off of existing ISO 14001 systems, and it prohibits the exportation of hazardous waste from developed to developing countries. Also, e-Stewards does have language regarding data security. But it gets a little confusing if data security services are not provided to a customer. In this case, he or she must sign a waiver before recycling.

Concerning the safe data wipe issue, many recyclers will often advertise that they will remove your personal information and files before recycling. To truly ensure no one can get to your old credit card information or social security number, you should wipe that data yourself. Your computer should have included a startup disk that will guide you through this process.

But if you can’t find that old disk stashed away in a desk drawer, we recommend using CNET’s Quick Guide to Data Wipeout.

Published in July/August Save the Pine Bush Newsletter