Nonprofit venture recycles computers, equipment

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Jonathan Stevens, general manager of the nonprofit Computer Recycling Center, wishes more area businesses were aware that Missouri law prohibits them from disposing of computer monitors at landfills. That's because the Computer Recycling Center's existence is dependent on donations of computers and electronic equipment. |ret||ret||tab|

Proper disposal of the monitors, in particular, is important, Stevens said.|ret||ret||tab|

"They're afraid that the lead in the glass will potentially be harmful if left in a landfill over time," Stevens said. The monitor components that contain the leaded glass are shipped in large quantities to a lead smelter in St. Louis. At the smelter, the lead is extracted and the glass is recycled for other uses. Stevens said the lead also is used again, sometimes in batteries. |ret||ret||tab|

As for the other components of computers and electronic equipment, those pieces are what keep the Computer Recycling Center, located at 1437 N. National Ave., Ste. B, in operation.|ret||ret||tab|

Because Computer Recycling Center has to pay to have the leaded glass transported to St. Louis and recycled, the center charges a $5 fee per monitor it accepts. There is no charge for the center to accept the rest of the equipment. |ret||ret||tab|

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Funding sources |ret||ret||tab|

Because volunteers help disassemble the computer monitors, Stevens the center's only paid employee noted that the $5 fee is much less than it would be otherwise. It costs the center about $4 to recycle monitors, so the balance pays for some of the center's operations.|ret||ret||tab|

Other funds come from the sale of boxes of computer equipment excluding the monitors for 12 cents to 14 cents a pound. Wire, for example, sells for about 15 cents a pound. Stevens said one large box of wire, which takes about a week and a half to accumulate, will bring in close to $150.|ret||ret||tab|

"It's not a lot, but it's a little bit, and it's enough to keep us afloat and keep the door open and the lights on," Stevens said. |ret||ret||tab|

In 2001, the center recycled more than 4,000 systems and 25,000 computer parts, including the monitors, he added. |ret||ret||tab|

The center does have a small retail operation in which various component items are sold for $1 each. Stevens said items are placed on the retail shelves for about two weeks; if they don't sell, they're recycled with the rest of the pieces. |ret||ret||tab|

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In the beginning|ret||ret||tab|

The nonprofit Computer Recycling Center has been in existence for about a year, according to Ken Reiss, executive director of the organization's board of directors. |ret||ret||tab|

Originally, Reiss operated a for-profit venture, Rayco Computer Salvage, on Commercial Street, which functioned similarly to the Computer Recycling Center.|ret||ret||tab|

"We had it as a private venture, and it was just very hard to keep the doors open," Reiss said. He noted that the business was a good "test run," but by redesigning it as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, the donor base was broadened. The center can provide tax receipts for donated equipment upon request. |ret||ret||tab|

"Overall, it's been very successful in the community. The people of the Ozarks, most anyway, do care about the environment," Reiss said.|ret||ret||tab|

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Environmental issues|ret||ret||tab|

Both Riess and Stevens noted that the city of Springfield has been extremely helpful to the center's efforts. |ret||ret||tab|

Barbara Lucks, materials recovery/education coordinator for the city of Springfield, said the city's job is to be aware of places that can assist businesses and individuals, and help them with the proper disposal of several types of solid waste, including computers and equipment. The city keeps contact information for different companies on its Recycling Hotline. |ret||ret||tab|

As far as monitor disposal goes, Lucks said the state law only prohibits businesses not households or individuals from dumping monitors in landfills. Lucks said businesses fall under different regulations than households, and with good reason. |ret||ret||tab|

"Businesses generally do things in larger quantity and there's more of an opportunity for the waste to be concentrated and in a greater amount at a single time," she said. |ret||ret||tab|

Still, Lucks said, the Springfield Landfill tries to keep all monitors out. She said workers go through trash before it goes into the landfill, and if monitors are found, those are pulled and sent to the Computer Recycling Center.|ret||ret||tab|

Lucks is just glad that the center provides an option for monitor and computer equipment disposal.|ret||ret||tab|

"We're very fortunate. The closest center that I know of the closest, properly compliant disposal center (for monitors) is in Kansas City," Lucks said. |ret||ret||tab|

Stevens said one component of the computers and electronic equipment that has been problematic for the Computer Recycling Center is the plastic. |ret||ret||tab|

"So far, we have no way of doing anything with the plastic. What we have to do is we have to try to reduce the volume and then end up disposing it in the landfill," he said. "It's not unlawful to dispose of plastic in the landfill, it's just, being a recycling center, we've tried to find alternative outlets." |ret||ret||tab|

One alternative the center has found is someone in Oklahoma who accepts two semi-loads of plastic at a time for recycling, and it costs to have that done. Stevens said the center isn't yet able to afford that option. |ret||ret||tab|

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Community support|ret||ret||tab|

Stevens, who spends a lot of time trying to "sell" area businesses on the idea of donating junk equipment to the Computer Recycling Center, said that the organization also needs the support of volunteers.|ret||ret||tab|

Reiss said some area Boy Scouts have inquired about volunteering at the center, and so have local schools, which want to give some students some hands-on experience with computer disassembly. |ret||ret||tab|

The center not only accepts community support, Reiss said, the center also provides it. The center is accepting aluminum cans for the Boys & Girls Club. Reiss said the center will process those cans and give all of the proceeds to the Boys & Girls Club. The Computer Recycling Center's Web site is www.computerrecyclingcenter.org.|ret||ret||tab|

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