Computer recycling advice 'rubbish'

3 March 2008

People want to recycle their old computers, but advice from councils is often inadequate and could even lead to data falling into the hands of identity thieves, says Computing Which? magazine today.

As people upgrade their computers, a massive amount of defunct technology is left lying around unused. A Computing Which? survey has found that Which? members have so many computer cables lying around that, if laid end to end, they’d stretch all the way from London to Manchester. It also found that members had 180,000 unused computers and 160,000 monitors gathering dust at home.

However, people do want to recycle their unused technology. 32 per cent of those surveyed said they’d "find somewhere to recycle it", 28 per cent said they’d "give it away to a friend or family member", while just 15 per cent said they’d "take it to the tip".

Computing Which? called over 100 councils across the UK to find out what advice councils give about recycling technology. One in seven couldn’t say what would happen with the computer after it was recycled. Only two fifths of councils who said they’d recycle a computer could say with certainty that equipment would actually be recycled. One council worker said: “They just literally go into the landfill; they get smashed apart."

Worryingly, the majority of councils didn’t seem overly concerned or knowledgeable about the safety of personal data stored on old PCs. When asked whether data should be deleted before sending the computer for recycling, responses were vague. One advisor said it "shouldn’t be a problem". Another said: "You can easily uninstall any information.” Both of these answers are misleading as a knowledgeable identity thief could easily recover deleted or uninstalled files.

Computing Which? advises people to remove sensitive information from computers before sending them for recycling; specialist software can safely remove data. Another failsafe, but less environmentally friendly, method is to remove the hard drive and smash it with a hammer.

Sasssrah Kidner, Editor, Computing Which? says:

"It’s natural to look to local councils for help and advice on getting rid of old computers and monitors; after all they usually take the lead on waste disposal. Yet our investigation shows the quality of advice and availability of services vary from one council to the next.

"Perhaps more worrying is the lack of knowledge and advice on how to dispose of the data stored on your computer. This could mean that the local tip becomes a hunting ground for identity thieves."

Computing Which? recycling advice

> Use specialist software to remove your data. To make 100 per cent sure your data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands, remove the hard drive before you dispose of your computer.

> Take your PC to a recycling point. Visit www.recycle-more.co.uk to find your nearest recycle bank.

> Ask the shop if they’ll handle it. PC retailers must provide free take-back facilities for customers to return old equipment whenever a replacement item is purchased.

> Donate it to a charity. Some councils will provide you with details of local non-profit groups who may accept your PC.

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