Progressive Tech puts a priority on reducing the toxic and destructive impact on our environment from electronic waste.
Modern electronics contain many harmful and toxic substances such as mercury and lead. We practice and encourage technology reuse and recycling. We believe every discarded, outdated, or decommissioned laptop or desktop computer, at the very least, yields many reusable parts or raw materials. Computers can be responsibly and efficiently rebuilt and reused, extending their life and reducing environmental damage. Machines too old or broken to be reused can be broken down to the core components, and the raw components like steel and plastic reclaimed.
Our shop maintains strict environmental protection policies, recycling almost all waste generated. All of our building renovations have been done using non-toxic paints, natural wood flooring, and natural fiber carpeting. On a day to day basis, we use natural, recycled, and proven environmentally-friendly cleaning products, soaps, garbage bags, and paper goods such as tissues and paper and towels.
The Problem
More than 250 million computers in the U.S. may become obsolete in the next five years, and those machines, along with televisions, VCRs & cell phones are flooding the nation's landfills. As a result, substances such as lead, mercury, chromium and cadmium are seeping into the environment at alarming rates.
Discarded electronic equipment is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the industrialized world and has become a national, and international, concern as the volume of “e-waste” continues to expand exponentially. Without effective and considered phase-outs of hazardous chemicals, as well as the development of effective collection, reuse and recycling systems, highly toxic chemicals found in “e-waste” will continue to contaminate soil and groundwater, threatening the environment even further.
More than 63 million tons of computer equipment is taken out of service each year, and 85% of it will end up in the landfills, according to the National Safety Council.
Startlingly, more than 50% of computers being thrown away today are in good working order or could be easily be repaired, according to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.
The Solution
Don't throw your old electronic waste in a dump or stick it in the garbage. Please bring your old computers and cell phones to the Seattle non-profit organization, InterConnection.
InterConnection staff and volunteers provide Internet and Computer Training to individuals and non-profit organizations locally and abroad. Training workshops are carried out at their Computer Reuse and Learning Center in Seattle. They also work with organizations to develop and carry out IT training programs for non-profit agencies in foreign countries.
Reuse: Better Than Recycling
InterConnection gives your old computer a second life, while creating an opportunity for someone else.
According to the EPA, reusing just one computer with a CRT monitor saves:
2222 N. Pacific St.
Seattle, WA 98103 USA
(206) 633-1517
InterConnection Website
Total Reclaim Inc. specializes in environmentally sound management and recycling of electronic waste, CFC gases and refrigeration units along with other hard-to-handle materials, such as:
2200 6th Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98134
(206) 343-7443
Total Reclaim Website
