We have not one but three (three!) old laptops in a cabinet, and are moving soon. We can’t just throw them out (I know someone who tried and the garbage truck man yelled at him), the guys who come by to pick up other trash (like old furniture and bamboo mats) won’t take them, and I know it should be possible to recycle them somehow or turn them in somewhere to be broken down.
Does anyone know how and where to get rid of them?
Although not popular in the 'wan, Craigslist is probably the best bet.
Just say free and there ya go.
Most sellers will be also happy take them (I returned broken Canon camera in their store once no problem). There’s a lot of gold and other useful metals hidden in the circuitry, although along with some other toxic materials.
We didnt’ buy any of the computers - all are from the USA (one’s a truly ancient Gateway, one’s a slightly more ancient Dell and one’s a vaguely ancient Toshiba). I wouldn’t even know what store to give it to, but you’re right that someone should want them. There’s all sorts of good stuff in there.
I dont’ really have the time to go to Guanghua and poke around, and don’t want to carry three laptops around doing it…that’s why I was hoping there was a specific place that someone would know that would take them, the way you can dump old cell phones for recycling at some Da Ge Da locations.
Craigslist isn’t just not popular here, it’s really not used at all.
You could call Taipei’s 1999 line. I think they’ll send someone to pick up the computers and perhaps assign them to a good home with a charity or school (or at least make sure they don’t get stripped for elements in a way that is going to trash the environment).
[quote=“channamasala”]We didnt’ buy any of the computers - all are from the USA (one’s a truly ancient Gateway, one’s a slightly more ancient Dell and one’s a vaguely ancient Toshiba). I wouldn’t even know what store to give it to, but you’re right that someone should want them. There’s all sorts of good stuff in there.
I don’t’ really have the time to go to Guanghua and poke around, and don’t want to carry three laptops around doing it…that’s why I was hoping there was a specific place that someone would know that would take them, the way you can dump old cell phones for recycling at some Da Ge Da locations.
Craigslist isn’t just not popular here, it’s really not used at all.[/quote]
It doesn’t matter if you did not buy the item at their store. By law, any store has to take the old items for recycling. Yes, just as most cell phone stores will have a bin for recycling batteries, same with computers. Try Zhueng Gue Dien Tzu (the household appliance store with the red ads), or 3C (the yellow store), there must be one in your neighborhood.
I am sure any of the old neighborhood amas -old ladies- who recycle stuff will be glad to take the stuff off your hands, more money for them. There is local company called Super Dragon Technology Co. that takes apart computers, gets the recyclables -including quite some gold- and the plastic parts are made into lovely traditioanl Chinese sculptures.
Tzu Chi can also take your stuff, to refurbish and donate to less fortunate. Maybe there is a local church nearby? And yes, the government has a program to take the old computers, fix them and send them to developing countries.
As you see, there are many ways. Just not in the garbage, as it has also many dangerous chemicals -just as you shouldn’t throw the batteries in the garbage for the same reason. Heck, if you are in Xindian or Jinmei, I’ll get’em and give them to my recycling neighbors. Every time I do, they give me some fruit they harvest themselves. 
The government program would be perfect…that is the sort of thing I’d like to give them too - you know, so they can be of use to others who could still get use out of them. Do you have contact info? I have no idea where to start, even though I speak Chinese (I dunno, people just don’t seem to know)…
I do live in Jingmei - I will ask my recycling lady, Old Fang. She’s right downstairs. If she understands me (really she speaks Taiwanese and Hakka, not much Chinese) maybe she’ll take them.
Every time one of our cheap ass microwaves breaks we give it to the Stinky Tofu Lady who knows a lady who sells 'em for scrap, I guess I could ask her too…
I think the recycling sounds like a great Idea. I have a couple of old laptops that have broken down over the years, although I think I’ll pull the hard drives first.
We recently took an old laptop to 7-11 for recycling. My partner handled it, but if I’m not mistaken, we got some 7-11 credit, too, like maybe NT$500.
Thing I worry about recycling computers is sensitive info on the HD, like logins and passwords and stuff. Pretty hard to COMPLETELY erase everything to the extent that it can’t be recovered.
[quote=“channamasala”]We have not one but three (three!) old laptops in a cabinet, and are moving soon. We can’t just throw them out (I know someone who tried and the garbage truck man yelled at him), the guys who come by to pick up other trash (like old furniture and bamboo mats) won’t take them, and I know it should be possible to recycle them somehow or turn them in somewhere to be broken down.
Does anyone know how and where to get rid of them?[/quote]
Just leave it on a seat on the MRT or leave it in the street. Someone will pick it up and sort it out. It’s not like you are trying to dump a ton of industrial waste.
I have three old cell phones that I want to recycle. Someone said that I could take them to Taiwan DaGeDa for recycling.
Anywhere else?
[quote=“CraigTPE”]We recently took an old laptop to 7-11 for recycling. My partner handled it, but if I’m not mistaken, we got some 7-11 credit, too, like maybe NT$500.
Thing I worry about recycling computers is sensitive info on the HD, like logins and passwords and stuff. Pretty hard to COMPLETELY erase everything to the extent that it can’t be recovered.[/quote]
Won’t a low-level format do the trick? If you zero-fill the hard drive, it pretty much makes your data 100% unrecoverable right?