Frequently Asked Questions
Why
Recycle?
The reasons for recycling differs from individual to individual. However,
in the case of electrical and electronic waste the creation of new European
Legislation called the 'WEEE' (Waste of Electrical & Electronic Equipment)
means that alternative to land-fill sites must be found.
Already many Waste Management companies, and civic amenity sites are assessing how they can cope with the overwhelming sea of electrical and electronic waste and what alternatives can be found………..this is where Computer Recycling Services Ltd comes in.
It is important to note that not only IT, and Audio Visual equipment is covered by this legislation. In fact, anything with a plug on it will have to be treated and will no longer be allowed to go into land-fill.
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Is
there a charge for Uplift or Disposal of my equipment?
Yes. There is a small disposal charge per item, which also includes uplift,
and audit. Electrical and Electronic waste is now classed as 'Hazardous' when
it reaches the end of its intended life. Therefore, administration, labour,
training, certification, and logistics can be costly.
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Is
there a minimum uplift quantity?
Yes. Normally we agree on 25-30 items. However, if you are reasonably local
or we have a collection in your area we can accommodate smaller collections.
If you are unsure call us on 01382 828001 and we will be happy to discuss any requirements you may have.
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What
happens to my equipment?
Two things can happen to your equipment:
1. Equipment is 'Recycled'. This means that equipment is broken down into it's component parts. For example in the case of a PC; power supplies, motherboards, processsors, plastic, metal, floppy drives, hard drives, cables etc. Once broken down these waste streams are then sent to a specialist refinery that recycles, and recovers any materials that can be reused.
2. Equipment is 'Refurbished' This means that we have identified equipment or components that we will be able to re-test, erase and resell.
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What
geographic area do you uplift from?
Currently, we only collect within Scotland.
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How
do I arrange an Uplift?
To arrange an uplift you can call, fax, or e-mail an enquiry to us. Or alternatively
fill in one of our Customer
Uplift Request Forms.
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How
soon can you collect my equipment?
Usually, we can collect your equipment within 2-3 days, depending on workload,
and logistics.
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Where
is the best place for me to store my equipment until it can be uplifted?
We would ask that in the interests of health and safety you store the equipment
on ground level in an area that can be easily accessed by our staff and vehicles.
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Will
you pay me money for my old equipment?
No this is not our policy.
Many people feel that their old computers still have some use as well as residual value. Whilst sometimes this may be the case by the time we thoroughly test and refurbish components or complete systems a lot of time and money has been spent.
Another common issue can be faulty systems or components found during our testing process. Ultimately they have to be recycled and there are costs attached to this process, especially now that electronic / electrical equipment is classed as 'Hazardous Waste'.
Another significant influence is the ever-decreasing cost of a new PC.
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What
happens to Hard Drives?
Two things can happen to hard drives
1. Physically Destroyed
Typically, hard drives get destroyed when:
- PC's that have no use are broken down for recycling,
- a customer insists they are destroyed, or
- a hard drive is faulty and cannot be erased using software (see below) during our refurbishment process.
2. Data Erased Using Software
When hard drives go to our workshops for Refurbishment they are erased of ALL previous user-data. Using specialised software certified to Department of Defence Standards you can feel confident that confidential information won't fall into the wrong hands.
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I
would like to Recycle my equipment but I would rather ALL of my Hard Drives
are destroyed and not reused. Is this a problem?
No this is not a problem. Data Protection/Security and Client confidentiality
is of paramount importance, especially in the current global climate. Simply
inform a member of our staff when arranging uplift and we will ensure that
all hard drives are removed and destroyed.
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Can
I witness my Hard Drives being destroyed?
Yes. Many of our clients in the past have opted for this method of Secure
Destruction. If you would like to use this service then simply talk to a member
of our staff.
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What
are 'White Goods'? And do you accept them?
White Goods are large household appliances such as refrigerators, cookers,
air conditioners, and washing machines etc. Computer Recycling Services Ltd
does NOT accept this type of electrical waste.
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Do
you just deal with businesses?
No, we deal with members of the public as well as businesses. However, the
bulk of our work lies with business customers.
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Click here for more information
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How
will I receive my Audit?
We send our Audits out via e-mail in Microsoft Excel format. Click
Here to view an example.
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What
is a Duty of Care Document?
Click here for more information
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How
much will a typical Refurbished PC cost me?
Typically our Refurbished PC's start around £50.00 Inc VAT.
This consists
of:
400Mhz - 633Mhz Processor
64MB Memory
4GB - 10GB Hard Drive
USB ports
PS2 Keyboard & Mouse
15" Monitor
No Operating System Supplied
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What
is an Operating System?
An Operating System is an essential piece of software, which controls the
PC. An example of an operating system would be; Microsoft Windows 98, 2000,
XP, Or Linux.
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Refurbished
Hardware- does it come with a warranty?
Yes. Our equipment is covered by a '30 Day Return to Base' warranty.