Goodwill, Dell Launch Computer Recycling Service

The pilot program offers drop-off recycling and reuse options for unwanted computers at no charge to area residents.

The partnership uses the donations infrastructure of a nonprofit, the outreach infrastructure of local governments and the experience and recycling resources of a technology company to offer a proactive, community-based solution to environmentally responsible computer disposal, according to a press release from Dell. The goal of this partnership is to divert at least 1 million pounds of used computers and computer equipment from landfills during a one-year period and to educate on the importance of proper computer disposal.

Beginning June 25, residents in the three-county area will be able to call toll(888) 4-GOODWILL or (866) 48-REUSE or to visit www.computerrecyclingproject.com/sanfranciscobayarea to learn about drop-off options for their unwanted computers and computer equipment at the 14 participating Goodwill locations.

"San Franciscans are both technology-savvy and environmentally-conscious, so this public-private program makes great sense," San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom says. "This effort will help create shared solutions to the problems of e-waste and make our community a safer, healthier place to live."

Goodwill Industries of Central Texas partnered with Dell and the city of Austin nine months ago to launch a similar pilot. Its success prompted Dell and Goodwill to implement a version of the program in the San Francisco Bay area.

Goodwill Industries of San Francisco will accept donated, residential computer equipment. The unwanted computers will be collected by Goodwill. Materials with remaining value will be separated and enter Dell's Asset Recovery Services process. Proceeds from equipment recovery will be returned to Goodwill Industries of San Francisco for re-investment in a variety of job-creation and community programs. Materials without resale value will be recycled. Dell says that Electronic Partners Corporation (ePC) will handle the recycling using stringent Dell guidelines. ePC is a part of Chasm Industries, a firm that specializes in electronic asset management and recycling services.

Residents are responsible for removing their data from hard drives and other storage media before collection.

"This computer recycling and reuse program builds on Goodwill's longstanding commitment to running one of the largest waste-diversion programs in San Francisco," Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez, CEO and president of Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties, says. "We try to find ways to reuse as many things as possible, either directly or by working with responsible partners."

This pilot program is the latest in a series of Dell environmental initiatives to increase recycling participation rates and consumer awareness of the need to responsibly recycle computers.

"Dell remains committed to making computer recycling easy and affordable for consumers and increasing recovery of used computers," Ken Hashman, vice president of Dell's Deployment and Field Services, says. "Dell's continued focus on operational efficiency will help this pilot meet those objectives. This pilot is designed to be scalable and we're confident it will eventually serve as a model other communities may voluntarily adopt."