Get rid of your old mobile phone and computer equipment safely and for free at eDay 2009.

If you’ve been wondering how to get rid of that old laptop or dead mobile phone, mark down 12 September in your diary to take part in eDay 2009. This community-driven programme provides drop-off points in 40 towns and cities where consumers can leave their dead technology to be recycled or disposed of safely.

More than 87,000 items (nearly 1000 tonnes) of computer equipment was collected last year – most of which would otherwise have ended up in landfills.

Recycle and re-use

While many computer components are recyclable, others contain environmentally unpleasant metals such as mercury, lead, and cadmium. The eDay programme recycles and re-uses what it can and safely disposes of what it can’t. On average, 95 percent of the materials in a computer can be recovered and re-used.

This is a great opportunity to free up some space and dump obsolete products with a clear conscience. So load up your car on 12 September and head to a drop-off point near you. You can find one, and more about eDay, at www.eday.org.nz.

• What you can drop off: mobile phones, computer hardware, laptops, monitors, printers, printer ink cartridges, scanners, keyboards, mice, speakers, game consoles, network modems, routers etc.
• What you can’t drop off: televisions, video recorders, DVD players, stereos, radios, home appliances, furniture.
   

More information

• eDay - www.eday.org.nz

More from consumer.org.nz

• Electronic waste - our report into the options for safe, environmentally-friendly electronics-disposal

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