12 On Your Side: Safe, free, easy way to get rid of old computers
News 12 at 6 o'clock / Monday, Jan. 21, 2013
MARTINEZ, Ga. (WRDW) -- If you've been holding onto your old computer because you're worried about polluting the environment or risking your personal information, the wait is over.
A quick scan around the back parking lot of Computer Exchange and you might think you went back into time. Old desktops, laptops and TVs are piled on a conveyor belt.
"What you are looking at is a typical morning of recycled," said Charles Kelly with Computer Exchange.
Mitch Ragand dropped off an old laptop and desktop.
"Here they are recycling them versus putting them in the trash where they go in the landfill," the customer said.
He's brought at least 10 computers here to be recycled over the years.
A few years ago, Kelly partnered with Georgia Tech to come up with a safe way to help folks in the CSRA recycle their computers.
"So we get tons of this at all three of our locations and when I say tons, I mean literally tons," Kelly said.
"In the past, this would go in the landfill," Kelly said.
He says it's not only dangerous to the environment but could also be a danger to you.
Many people store personal information such as Social Security numbers on their computers. Technicians at Computer Exchange either destroy hard drives with a drill or give it back to the customer before recycling the computer.
Computer Exchange is paid by the recycling company for your old computers. However, the company breaks even once they factor in storage and hauling fees.
The cost for recycling an old computer is free for customers.
You can recycling your old electronics at any of the following locations during opening hours:
- 3206 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta, GA 30906
- 404 East Martintown Road. North Augusta, SC 29841
- 3835 Washington Road, Suite B, Martinez, GA 30907
Have information or an opinion about this story? Click here to contact the newsroom.
Copyright WRDW-TV News 12. All rights reserved. This material may not be republished without express written permission.
Want to join our Call For Action team?
Call for Action is a consumer advocacy group that works out of News 12 to help viewers solve consumer issues. Volunteers take calls Tuesdays and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
If you would like to become a volunteer, call (803) 442-4550 (Tuesday or Wednesday) or email callforaction@wrdw.com.
12 On Your Side
P.O. Box 1212
Augusta, Georgia 30903-1212
Phone: (803) 278-1212 ext. 3342
Fax: (803) 442-4561
At WRDW News 12, we receive hundreds of phone calls and letters weekly from people with consumer problems. Many situations can be resolved with a simple phone call. Here is a "printer-friendly list" of Consumer Agencies and Phone Numbers.
For a list of recent recalls, visit Recalls.gov, your online resource for recalls.
Click here to visit Mouseprint.org, a site that exposes misleading advertising and marketing materials.
Click here to visit ConsumerAffairs.com, an independent Web-based consumer news and resource center.
Click here to sign up for free vehicle recall alerts.
If you think you may be the victim of identity theft, click here to visit the Federal Trade Commission's website.
Click here to report an Internet crime.
