Ohio Computer Collection a Success

Two “Computer Round-Ups” in Cuyahoga County, Ohio collected about 160 tons of computer equipment in two events the county hosted. The latest event, held in August, yielded almost 60 tons of material and Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District program officer Cristie Cook says the event was a success.

“Overall, this collection was just as much as a success as the first event,” Cooks says. She says while the amount of computer equipment collected was slightly lower, 60 tons compared to about 100 tons in April, the volume of people who participated showed there is still a need for such an event. “It may mean that we are cleaning up things quicker,” she says of the high participation rates with the second event.

The event was free to any Cuyahoga County resident and materials accepted included: CPUs, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, terminals, modems, software and other peripheral devices. Cell phones and accessories were also accepted.

Cook says she was surprised at the amounts of older equipment still making its way to the collection program, such as the classic Apple II E computer popular in the late 80s and early 90s. “You know that people have the stuff-they just hang onto it until they find a good way to get rid of it.”

Units collected in the “Computer Round-Ups” are then processed by Ohio Prison Industries. Most units are dismantled and if possible upgraded in cooperation with Computers for Education Program of Ohio and distributed to schools, depending on the age of the unit. About 10 percent of what is collected could be refurbished and resold, Cook says.

Cook says the county is trying to look at states such as Massachusetts, which has banned the disposal of CRTs in landfills, and look to see what can be done to combat the problem. While there is no legislation Cook knows of in Ohio about a ban on CRTs, but that “anything is possible at this point and we are trying to be one step ahead of the game to make sure we have a program in place in case a ban happens.”