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A Multi-Disciplinary Service-Learning Experience with Computer Recycling
by Faith Goldstein

“I’m getting a new computer!” These words are usually music to everyone’s ears. However, amid the celebration it’s also important to carefully consider the retirement of the older computer that’s getting replaced. The potential future of this computer touches on themes of educational opportunity and digital equity, as well as environmental, health and global labor issues. As such, service projects involving computer refurbishing and recycling can become a multi-disciplinary learning experience for all students.

Education and Digital Equity
The Philadelphia Digital Divide Network represents one of many positive examples of how older machines can be utilized in our community. PDDN is a coalition of a variety of community organizations which collectively and individually take donations of older computers. All member organizations use the older computers to provide technology training programs for students and community members. As these students learn, they also serve by fixing and upgrading older computers to become functioning computers. This technology is then placed in community centers and the homes of those who might otherwise not be able to afford it. Through PDDN programs, computer recycling becomes an opportunity to provide educational experiences for participants, as well as a means to bridge the digital divide for community members.

Environmental Themes
It’s important for PDDN programs and other computer recycling programs to get the word out about their services and to make sure that computers aren’t placed the trash. It’s true that computers that are thrown away are a wasted opportunity for potentially useful technology. However, it is just as important to realize that computers and monitors contain hazardous materials, including lead, mercury and cadmium. Hardware that is put out in the trash will most likely be taken to a landfill or incinerator. Placed in these facilities, the toxins in the hardware will often travel into the groundwater and air, leading to potentially serious health risks.

Although not all of the computers donated to PDDN are reusable or refurbish-able, none end up in the trash. Older, unusable machines are sorted by staff and students. The coalition works with hardware recycling companies that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. These companies will accept computers for free, but typically charge a small fee (five or ten dollars) to dispose of monitors and printers in an environmentally safe manner. Trained workers at the recycling company separate out the toxic materials from the hardware. Many of these parts are kept safely intact and sent back to computer manufacturers to be reused.

Global Health and Labor Issues
It is crucial for computer recycling programs to explore the policies and practices of the recycling companies with which they work, to ensure that trained workers are disposing of the toxins safely. According to a report on National Public Radio's program, All Things Considered, about two thirds of all discarded computers will be shipped to small communities in Asia, where salvage operators charge much less than recyclers in the United States (www.npr.org/programs/watc/features/2002/apr/computers).

In Asia, low paid workers burn the computer wires to recover the valuable metals inside. The byproduct is a toxic ash that ends up in the air and water of the villages, and the people in the area often experience health problems as a result of this pollution. Several countries have signed a treaty designed to protect developing countries from this type of pollution. Activists in the United States are leading campaigns to get similar steps taken in this country.

Service-Learning Connection
The themes involved with computer recycling have the potential to engage students in a variety of ways, since communities are affected on a local, national and global level. Students interested in technology, environment, health or labor issues will find something to explore.

Resources:

For more information about the EPA’s eCycling program and related resources, visit:
http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/eCycling.htm

Read about Silicon Valley’s Toxics Coalition Clean Computer Campaign:
http://www.svtc.org/cleancc/index.html

Donate a Computer to the PDDN:
http://www.uwsepa.org/team4tech/Info/AboutUs/Donate.htm

Informational Brochure from PDDN:
http://www.uwsepa.org/team4tech/Info/Partners/Community/PDDNinfo.pdf