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Abstract:
The Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Facility Services Recycling staff
recognized that the majority of computers that were surplus property
were not being used to their potential. Most of the monitors were
recycled in bulk and shipped out of the area, and the computers
were scrapped. Many of these computers were still operational. We
were interested in finding a sustainable solution.
In Fiscal Year 2003/04 Cal Poly generated over 3000 surplus monitors
and computers. The monitors were sent to an out of the area recycler
at a cost of $15 to $25 each. The computers were packaged on pallets
and sold as a group for $5 to $20 for the entire pallet of six to
eight computers. Computers that were not sold were discarded.
Beginning in July 2004, Facility Services launched a program to
test monitors and computers to see if they were operational. The
computers are scrubbed of their data and operating systems. Computers
with a processor of Pentium II or greater are packaged with a working
monitor and keyboard, and placed on esurplus web site for auction.
Computers not tested are packaged and sold on a pallet of six. The
monitors were connected to functional computers to determine their
condition. Complete tested computers are generally sold on auction
for $15 to $100.
Student Assistant labor at $8.75 an hour is used for this process.
From July to November 2004 we spent $2480 in labor, and received
$5500 in sales. There was an additional $2400 saved in disposal
costs.
This program is an excellent example of a recycling program that
keeps obsolete computers out of the waste stream, provides computers
at low cost to individuals, and pays for itself by generating more
income than expenses.
For more information, please contact Doug Overman at doverman@calpoly.edu.
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