Posted on: Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Dell, HP offer free computer recycling

By Matt Slagle
Associated Press

DALLAS — The world's two largest personal-computer manufacturers have gotten a little greener.

Dell Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. have announced free, temporary programs to encourage U.S. consumers to recycle toxin-filled computers and electronics.

Beginning this week, Dell customers who buy a new Dimension desktop or Inspiron notebook computer can recycle their old computers free. The offer expands on a free recycling program the company has had for printers since March 2003.

Rival Hewlett-Packard, meanwhile, has teamed with retailer Office Depot to offer free recycling for computers, digital cameras, fax machines, cell phones and other electronics.

Consumers can drop off electronics at any Office Depot store between Sunday and Labor Day. The service is limited to one computer system or other electronic device per customer per day.

Environmental groups, which have blasted the computer industry for lax recycling efforts, lauded the news. Only about 11 percent of electronics are recycled.

"Finally, consumers and small businesses have some options that don't charge you to do the right thing," said Robin Schneider, executive director of the Austin-based Texas Campaign for the Environment.

The Dell program offers free recycling as part of the checkout process on its Web site. Buyers will get two prepaid shipping labels and instructions to put old equipment of any make or model in the boxes that contained the new equipment. DHL will pick up the boxes for free.

HP also has a mail-based computer recycling plan that costs consumers $35. Similarly, IBM Corp. accepts mailed-in computers, printers and monitors, by any manufacturer, for a $30 fee, with shipping included.