The following contains excerpts from Greentips from the Union of Concerned Scientists

"If your computer is still relatively new and useful when you're ready to discard it, you can donate it to a small non-profit. Clear off all your personal data first but leave the programs intact. Send along all the components (keyboard, mouse, and monitor), original disks, documentation, and software licenses.

Another option is to call the manufacturer to see if the company has a "take-back" program. These programs are common in Europe where waste disposal laws are more stringent, and some manufacturers are expanding their programs in the U.S. They often charge for the service, but in time that may change.

You can also search for a computer recycling company, but investigate how the company disposes of equipment before committing your machine. Unfortunately, many recyclers send the equipment to Asia where recycling is cheaper because fewer, if any, safeguards are in place. By disposing of your computer wisely, you can minimize damage both to the environment and to people's health."

In Canada, there are already a wide variety of places consumers can take their computers for recycling:

Computers for Schools, an Ottawa-based organization that takes donations of computers, scrubs them clean of data and gives them out free to Canadian schools. Founded in 1993 and funded by the federal government, the program works with all 10 provincial and three territorial governments, and oversees 55 repair and refurbishing centers across the country. The Ontario chapter, based in Mississauga, refurbished thousands of computers last year - mostly old 133 MHz Pentium chips, "but that's fast enough to type on, which is mostly what kids are doing at school," notes executive director James Le Craw. Le Craw finds that 80 per cent to 85 per cent of all computers he receives are either shipshape or nearly so.

A collection of Canadian recycling links

reBOOT Canada is a non-profit charity providing computer hardware, networking and technical support to charities, non-profits and people with limited access to technology. The charity takes old computers, fixes them up and distributes them to charitable organizations, and has redistributed over 30,000 pieces of computer equipment across Canada since its founding in 1996, setting up offices in Peterborough and Vancouver. In June 2001 reBOOT Canada was recognized with the Outstanding Non-Profit Award for 2000 by the Recycling Council of Ontario for its committed redistribution of computer equipment.

The reSource project has been developed by the Technology Learning Alliance (TLA), an offshoot of the Learning Support Council of Canada. The goal of TLA is to help provide computers and connectivity for those who normally cannot afford these, both in Canada and abroad.

Computeraid International recycles computers from both consumers and business for use by education, health and community organisations in the developing world.

The IBM Canada PC Recycling Service is among the few industry programs for individuals and small-businesses that allows customers to recycle any manufacturer's PC (including system units, monitors, printers and peripherals) for $49.95 (CDN), including shipping. IBM will also provide a discount of up to 8 per cent on new IBM products to those customers participating in the recycling program.

To encourage consumers to recycle their printer cartridges, Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd. teamed up with Friends of the Earth in the summer of 1999, donating $1 to the Ottawa-based environmental organization for every cartridge returned to HP.

Retro-Systems, Calgary, Alberta

Maxus Technology Inc., Rimbey, Alberta

Some cities hold special collection days for computers too old or damaged for donation, as Calgary did recently, netting 71 tons of equipment from the public in just one day.

Bo Brodie runs Computer Recyclers Inc., an Ottawa company that deals in electronic junk. Brodie's firm takes in about half a million pounds of electronic junk a year. (613) 723-3135.