Computer recycling event to be held at Carrollton City Hall
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By Carmen Ensinger
The city of Carrollton will be hosting an electronic recycling event at their city hall on Feb. 17 from 4-6 p.m. The event is being sponsored by Carrollton Tech Shop and E-Cycle in partnership with PC’s for People of Greater St. Louis.
Carrollton City Treasurer Diane Hendricks said this will fulfill part of the criteria of the $15,000 broadband grant that the city received to do a study of the internet services available in the area.
“This is really a two-fold event,” Hendricks said. “It is a chance for people to bring their unwanted electronics, such as computers, printers, etcetera, to be disposed of, but it is also an opportunity for those who qualify to get a laptop or desktop computer at a discounted rate.”
PC’s for People is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 whose mission is to provide a bridge across the digital divide that offers employment and educational opportunities to low-income individuals, families with children and those with disabilities.
In addition to providing free electronic recycling, they also collect old computers and refurbish them for distribution to those who qualify. They have distributed over 190,000 computers since 1998 and through their website offer quality refurbished desktops, laptops, internet and accessories to thousands of individuals and nonprofits.
Basically, anyone who receives any type of government assistance should qualify for their services.
“If someone lives in government housing, receives SNAP benefits, Medicaid, SSI, or is a veteran receiving a pension, you should qualify,” Hendricks said. “Or, if you have a household income that is less than 135 percent of federal poverty guidelines, you should qualify as well.”
For example, a family of four who receives $35,000 or less would qualify for a laptop or desktop through the program.
The pricing for a Windows desktop computer, 17 inch monitor, wi-fi adapter, keyboard and mouse, plus a Chromebook is $100. Windows laptops are priced between $50 and $150.
Internet services are also available through the purchase of a Wi-Fi Hotspot, which has a one-time cost of $45-60. Monthly internet service is then $15 per month.
For those wondering what kind of items they can bring for recycling, the list is quite long. They include: laptops, tablets, desktop pc’s, monitors, cables and accessories, mice (not the furry kind), gaming devices, keyboards, media speakers, network devices such as routers, cell phones, mp3 players, phones and communication devices, ink and toner cartridges, printers and fax machines, video and audio equipment, plasma and LCD televisions, DVD players, digital cameras, video players, satellite and cable tv boxes and game consoles.
Hendricks said that for those worried about their personal data stored on their laptop, the company has certified drive removal and data sanitation so before a laptop or desktop is refurbished, the hard drive is wiped clean.
