General > General Technical Chat
What's the situation with E-Waste in your country? Can you 'pick up for repair'?
<< < (5/7) > >>
Andy Chee:

--- Quote from: johansen on December 22, 2023, 09:21:01 pm ---I found a friend 's. Brother's. and his moms laptop at the dump.

They have never really looked at me the same since i asked them for the password so i could use the windows operating system.

--- End quote ---
I can see how that could be awkward!  Sometimes the windows licence key sticker is located underneath the removable battery, so that should allow a fresh format and install of windows (either from DVD media, or a special reserved partition on the hard drive).


--- Quote ---My guess is most places wont let you take stuff for fear of identity theft.

--- End quote ---
Correct.  I've retrieved portable HDDs and laptops with scanned images of their passports, driver's licence, and credit cards.... not to mention pr0n and other highly personal images and documents.

Njk:

--- Quote from: EPAIII on December 22, 2023, 04:59:10 am ---And it is nice to see things actually being recycled instead of just increasing the height of those hills in the land fills.

--- End quote ---
It was not a big problem back at that time. The factories were not interested in production, so all the goods usually were in short supply. Not a big pleasure for Joe Consumer but on the other hand, if you were a frog, you likely would be interested in keeping those stupid greedy monkey descendants busy with thinking how to destroy each other. Because otherwise they will unite and start thinking how to destroy your swamp.
SiliconWizard:

--- Quote from: Roehrenonkel on December 21, 2023, 10:13:47 pm ---here in germany it's real bad.
You are not allowed to take anything
and if you bring to much they even charge you!
--- End quote ---

Yes, same here. They usually disallow taking anything for alleged security reasons (most of the time). That's something we used to be able to do like 20 years ago, not anymore at all.
Another reason, probably more real is that anything people take is less material they can make money off with recycling, so it's effectively as though they were losing money if you take anything. (Even if not much per item.)


--- Quote from: Roehrenonkel on December 21, 2023, 10:13:47 pm ---Waste (and especially e-waste) is a big business.

--- End quote ---

Of course it is. Everything is a big business now anyway.
magic:

--- Quote from: johansen on December 22, 2023, 09:21:01 pm ---They have never really looked at me the same since i asked them for the password so i could use the windows operating system.

My guess is most places wont let you take stuff for fear of identity theft.

--- End quote ---
There is a million ways to reset Windows password if the disk isn't encrypted.

As for data leaks being a problem, sure, but it's only an issue with computers, phones and such.


Locally, there is an electronics recycling business which regularly sells the useful stuff they receive on online auctions. Sometimes working, sometimes with cosmetic damage, sometimes in need of repair or for parts. I presume less valuable junk is dismantled. There is a scrap yard which has full containers of cables and trasformers and sometimes some other e-waste, but that's genuine waste - I have never been tempted to buy anything from them ;)
G0HZU:

--- Quote from: SolderSucker on December 21, 2023, 07:46:25 pm ---In my country (UK) there doesn't appear to be any 'official' way to get hold of E-Waste from the recycling/waste centres for personal use (either that's in working condition or for repair and perhaps even to sell it on once repaired).

What's the situation in your country?

Do the local recycling depots allow people to go through their piles of E-Waste and take (or buy) whatever they like (if it's only a few items)?

Or do they go one step further and have it all laid out so that people can browse what's available and take (or buy) a few items?

--- End quote ---

Here in the UK things are changing in this respect. Apparently my local recycling centre is closing for renovation next month and when it reopens it will have a 'shop' where useful stuff (that was disposed of by someone) can be purchased by the public.
Obviously, this isn't the same as dumpster diving but at least there is a way to buy stuff.

I'm not sure how well this system will work in practice. I suspect it may only operate for a while before they close the shop. It's a nice concept, but I suspect it could cause too many problems for the recycling centre.
Navigation
Message Index
Next page
Previous page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod