Tips on recycling old desktop computers

As awareness of the presence of toxins like lead, zinc, and cadmium increases, so does interest in recycling old desktop computers and electronic products. This article

First, donate the equipment to charity if possible. My only caveat would be to remove and destroy a PC's hard drive before donating the machine. I realize that a PC without a hard drive is much less useful to a charity than one that actually works, but this is the best way to know that your personal information won't end up in the wrong hands through an auction or thrift store sale.

Second, consider recycling e-waste like old desktop computers. Call your city government to see if your local environmental waste ("sanitation") department has an electronic waste recycling program.

See the Basel Action Network's E-Stewards for a list of responsible e-cyclers that have agreed to the most rigorous criteria for sustainable electronics recycling.