You can take your old computers to the Reuse and Recycling Centre at Landmann Way. However, it is your responsibility to make sure that any personal data is removed before recycling.
We reprocess computer parts such as monitors, motherboards, hard disk drives and keyboards in line with government legislation. We do not wipe data using software applications or methods such as magnetic wiping.
You need to remove data from your computer before you recycle it, as there are no guarantees that it will be removed during the recycling process.
Advice on removing data from your computer
If you want to recycle your computer and have any confidential data stored on it, then you are strongly advised to either:
- ensure the storage disk is completely overwritten a number of times using specialist software. You can do this yourself or ask a reputable company to do it for you.
- remove the hard disk altogether before sending your computer for recycling.
Removing personal data from your computer before you recycle it helps to prevent identity fraud.
Taking your computer for reuse
It's not always necessary to recycle things. Often the most environmentally friendly action is to take your items for reuse.
If your computer is reused, this will save on the energy needed to carry out the recycling.
You would still need to remove any personal data (see above). Once that's done, you can then:
- take it to a charity shop or give it away through a recycling scheme. See our furniture reuse or recycling - useful websites pages for ideas on how to reuse your computer.
- sell it to a local computer shop or put an advert in the local paper.