Profitable to recycle e-Waste?
 

I am getting conflicting opinions from my research. I am looking for *empirical data* either from a primary or secondary source about whether it is profitable to recycle computers, electronics, etc. (e-waste). Many people seem to say, "Don't waste your time," but there are a lot of variables:

a) cost of starting product, used electronics. Free?

b) environmental concerns. Cost of disposing certain chemicals, handling hazmat.

c) cost of processing, chemicals, etc.

d) variability of valuable metal retention. Apparently, many units are now made with less valuable metals. Approximately what rates for various electronics? What are the most valuable in terms of recycling (hard-drives? monitors? processors? circuit boards? wiring?)?

e) can you charge for this service? If so, at what rate?
e.1.) government subsidies (environmental clean-up, habitat protection, prevention of e-waste disposal going to Asia to be dealt with haphazardly and likely to the destruction of groundwater and clean air, etc.)?

If you have any good *empirical data*, please chime in.

That kind of junk goes to China
envro nightmare to do in the USA
even mexico

6o min did a story on recycled computers in china 6 months or so ago
looked bad even 10,000 miles away

Scott - your best bet is to call San Francisco Bureau of Sanitation, and see what they already have in play. S.F. is a fairly Green city, so they might have suggestions for you if you want to start a business doing this.

L.A., in its push to be the most Green city in the world, can't seem to have enough companies who do some sort of recycling. It's actually a big business if you have the resources.

For those with a conscious about sending the crap off to Third World countries, E-waste will be the next big problem all of us will face. If you can jump on the issue fast, it might turn out to be a good business venture.

At work, we pay $0.45 a pound plus shipping for e-recycling. We just realized they've been charging us $500 shipping per load (vs they're quoted $200), so a certain company just lost a pretty large customer :mad:

The california government will pay you to collect electronic junk.
They collect $8 for every monitor etc and are "supposed" to use that money to keep electronic stuff out of landfills.

If you do the stuff they want and do all the paperwork they (we) will pay you to waste time and effort. I don't like it and think it's stupid to do somethnig that's a joke just to make the libs feel good but it is what it is.
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPW/Coordinator/

It's my understanding that over a certain size, a company is required to recycle electronics rather than put them in the trash.

no data, but here it was done by a non-profit -- they won all sorts of awards

now, they + county transfer sites do it as we have a new law making it free for the consumer on TV's monitors, etc.

why not contact the small business help agency in your state govt.?