IBM has launched a new computer recycling program, just in time for America Recycles Day today. Computer equipment moves rapidly from state-of-the-art to obsolete, leaving many individuals and businesses stuck with machines that can be difficult to dispose of because they contain hazardous chemicals that don’t belong in regular landfills. For a $30 fee, IBM will take an old computer off your hands and send it to a recycler that will either donate it to a worthy cause or recycle it in an “environmentally responsible way.” Environmentalists say the program is a good step, but they are calling on IBM and other companies to recycle electronic equipment for free. Many activists are also pushing for “take-back” laws that would make electronics manufacturers responsible for disposal at the end of a product’s life; such legislation is moving forward in Europe.
