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Whether you want the newest laptop or your device has finally reached its ‘end of life’ stage, laptop disposal can be a tricky dilemma. There’s the question of destroying personal files and data, where to actually dispose of old laptops, and how it even died in the first place! And the most concerning problem of them all is how to throw away an old laptop that won’t even turn on anymore.
In this article, we will guide you through every issue or problem that you could encounter when disposing of your old or broken laptop.
Why Did Your Laptop Die?
In the age of technology, a computer or laptop is essential for the business, work and personal parts of your life. When your laptop doesn’t turn on or abruptly dies, it can be very frustrating and make your usual day-to-day tasks difficult to complete.
There are many different causes of a laptop dying; it may be due to your power adapter aging, laptop screen malfunctioning, battery or a faulty motherboard component. It could just be that your laptop has reached the ‘end of life’ stage, meaning that its hardware and software programs are too old to function.
If you’re looking for a solution, take your laptop back to where you bought it. You may still be under warranty, or it could be a simple, quick fix that an expert can have done in minutes.
However, if it is officially dead and cannot be revived, it is now classified as e-waste and must be disposed of responsibly.
What Kind of Rubbish is a Laptop?
Once you know your device can not be fixed, your dilemma becomes finding an appropriate way to dispose of it. But what kind of rubbish is a laptop? Laptops and computers fall into the e-waste or electronic waste category of waste due to their parts and hazardous materials that can affect the environment.
What Is E-Waste?
E-waste is a type of waste that encompasses many different materials. While it must have an electronic element, such as an operating system or motherboard, e-waste may also contain ceramic waste (glass, optic fibres), precious metals, raw materials and even natural elements such as wood.
On the other hand, e-waste also contains materials that can be harmful to the environment, including heavy metals, flame retardants, refrigerants like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and toxic materials, including organic pollutants. To protect our environment, these materials must be disposed of responsibly by professionals or taken to disposal centres.
For laptops and old computers, e-waste includes data cables, keyboard, chargers, head or earphones, hard drives, motherboards and computer monitors.
Can You Recycle A Laptop?
In short, yes! Laptops, computers and other e-waste can be recycled.
As mentioned, e-waste can contain precious metals, ceramic materials and electronic parts that can be recycled to create new electronics in the future or be reused if parts are in optimal working condition.
In most disposal processes, e-waste is transported to recycling programs, depots or centres that specialise in recycling electronics. Once there, devices will be processed and sorted into groups, finding any materials that can be reused or recycled.
While these valuable materials won’t be used to make an all-encompassing supercomputer AI just yet, recycling that old or broken laptop that you have lying around will be very beneficial for both the future production of electronics and sustainability.
Why Laptop Waste Is A Growing Concern
In Australia, 4 million computers and laptops are sold annually, with over 100 thousand of these purchased devices being destined for landfill, contributing to a growing e-waste crisis.
Surprisingly, 48% of Australians don’t know where their e-waste ends up or how to recycle their e-waste. This concerning percentage highlights the need for education and action regarding e-waste disposal and recycling programs.
Before You Dispose of Your Laptop
Save All Your Files
If your old laptop still works, but you don’t need it anymore, don’t forget to save all your personal files and data. Whether it’s old photos, downloaded applications or saved passwords, making sure your files are safe and secure is of the utmost importance.
Having foresight and using storage applications for a device that’s on its last legs is a great option if you want a simple and easy transfer of data. Cloud storage solutions such as Google Drive, Dropbox or iCloud will usually allow you to automatically sync your data from an old device to a new one. If you’re a bit more old school, looking for more security and want something more physical, consider getting an external drive/external hard drive to upload and save your files onto for peace of mind.
Disconnect From Accounts
Disconnecting from any accounts by logging out and deleting any autofill passwords on your device is also extremely important before disposing of your laptop or computer. Accounts like your email, subscription services, and work accounts are the first way to begin disconnecting from your laptop. By doing this, you reduce the risk of being hacked and having your Netflix being accessed from a location you definitely have not been visiting.
Of course, disconnecting from your home and work wifi is another big one. Many people may also need to unpair Bluetooth devices, such as headphones, keyboards and mice.
Protecting Personal Information and Data
To dispose of a laptop safely, it is important to take into consideration how you are protecting your personal information and data. Electronic devices like laptops and computers have immeasurable amounts of information saved in their software, including:
- Passwords
- Personal information (names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses)
- Credit card and bank details
- Downloaded files, music, movies and photos
- Downloaded applications
- Emails and text messages
How to Wipe Data if Your Laptop Won’t Turn On
If your laptop is officially dead, it can be difficult to access your data to completely wipe it or conduct a factory reset in the first place. Since the laptop is no longer accessible, neither is your personal information or data. Some people are still wary of throwing away electronic devices like this for fear of a data breach.
One way people tackle this problem is to physically destroy their electronic products by smashing, drilling or cutting them into pieces before handing them over for disposal. Our recommendation is to try and keep your e-waste as safe as possible, but if you’re going to have a go with a hammer, make sure to wear safety goggles!
Data Recovery
If you would like to try to wipe data or recover your data from your dead pc or laptop, the best way to do it is to actually remove the hard drive manually yourself.
While all laptops are a little bit different, they should all have the main access panel at the bottom of the device. Unscrewing the main access panel should allow you to view the computer’s main operating system. From there, you can then easily remove the hard drive.
If possible, connect the hard drive to another working computer (using a USB adapter if needed) and use a data wiping tool to overwrite the data multiple times. There are free tools like DBAN (Darik’s Boot and Nuke) available for this.
From this point, you can either choose to keep the hard drive as is or go through the process of data recovery. You can recover all your personal files by plugging the removed hard drive into another pc or laptop with a USB adapter. From there, you can erase all your data with a free data wiping tool like DBAN or recover your data and save it by placing it in a storage application. Or, you could just leave all the files on the hard drive to access whenever you would like!
Types of Laptop Disposal
Disposing of an old laptop is a bit different from the regular waste disposal process. Chucking it in the red or yellow rubbish bin at home or general waste bins is a big no-no, as disposing of e-waste responsibly ensures that its materials can be recycled and reused as effectively as possible.
Council Collection and Pick Up
Your local council will usually have collection points for e-waste that include old laptops and old computers. Most council collections have electronic end-of-life recycling, meaning that all the materials from dead laptops can be reused for new computers or laptops.
Pick-up services from the council can be done annually, biannually or quarterly, and some offer recycling stations or weekends. It is always best to check your local council website to find dates and the kinds of rubbish they are willing to pick up or for you to drop off. City of Sydney has a comprehensive list of e-waste items that are listed for dropping off or picking up.
Local Electronics Store Trade-In
Perhaps start from the beginning and consider your local electronics store or retailer where you initially purchased your laptop. You might be surprised by trade-in programs that recycle computers can give them new life.
Looking into your manufacturer’s take-back programs could be a great option, as some laptop manufacturers offer recycling programs for their products.
Recycling Centre Options for Your Old Laptop
E-waste makes up around 70% of toxic waste, which damages both the natural environment and human health. In an attempt to reduce this waste, consider recycling options.
Finding a local recycling centre near you to deal with your e-waste is easy; you can find information on where you can recycle and what exact items, like laptops, at Recycle Mate. Taking your laptop to be disposed of properly saves space in landfill, reduces waste and can extend the life of existing laptop parts that could be made into something new.
Donation
If your unwanted device is still in good working condition, donating your old laptop or computer to charities, nonprofits, and op-shops is a great way to repurpose your electronics. Better yet, hosting a garage sale or selling your device on an online marketplace might get you some extra money!
For businesses looking to get rid of a bundle of broken or old laptops, consider initiatives like The Laptop Initiative, who work with companies across Australia in distributing unwanted laptops to registered charities. This initiative and many others recycle these old laptops and upcycle them to be used by refugees and asylum seekers, disadvantaged youth and women suffering from domestic violence, enabling them to obtain education, employment, connection and income.
E-Waste Collection Services to Dispose of Your Laptop Safely
If you are looking for simple, reliable and efficient e-waste removal from your home or business, 1300 Rubbish is here to lighten the load. Waste disposal is our forte, with recycling and sustainability as a top priority to help you dispose of your laptop with an eco-conscious mind!
Our waste collection services cover all kinds of waste, including taking any kind of e-waste, whether that be computers, laptops, white goods, medical equipment or kitchen appliances. We always ensure that your collected e-waste is processed properly at a reputable recycling depot.
We offer our services nationwide, with our locations for rubbish removal services based mainly in urban and city areas.
FAQ
How To Delete Files From An Old Laptop That Won’t Turn On?
As we’ve mentioned, if you want to clear files from a laptop that won’t turn on, you’ll need to remove the hard drive and either connect it to another computer or use a hard drive eraser. Once you have access, you can delete files, securely wipe them and then dispose of the old laptop safely.
What Are The Health Risks Of Not Disposing Of A Laptop Properly
If a laptop, or any type of e-waste, is not disposed of responsibly, there is a risk to human health and the environment. E-waste is combustible, and when it is burned, harmful gases and particulate matter are released, including heavy metals, toxic dioxins, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and fluorinated compounds.
Should I Physically Destroy My Old Laptop Hard Drive?
Yes, physically destroying a hard drive is a great way to ensure that your information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.
While deleting files or wiping information from a laptop removes the file system pointers, the data itself may still be recoverable. For maximum security and peace of mind, it is a good idea to physically destroy the hard drive, especially if it held sensitive information.
How Much Will I Get For Trading In My Broken Laptop?
Pawn shops and technology specialists usually accept trade-ins or buy-backs. The trade-in value of a broken laptop varies, but you can usually expect anywhere from $20 to $300. The range depends on the model, age, and type of damage. Even laptops that don’t power on can be valuable for parts.