Are there any special considerations when dealing with the disposal of computer equipment?

When disposing of used or broken equipment, special care should be taken when dealing with such thing like printer toner cartridges, batteries and monitors.
Power supplies and monitors we’ve already mentioned can retain a large amount of electricity even after they’ve been disconnected from a power source; which means the capacitors should be discharged prior to disposing.
Documentation provided by the manufacturer of your computer equipment, as well as local governmental guidelines will provide details on how to dispose of various computer components. Some common components and their disposal methods are:
- Batteries (normal AAA through C, D and 9-volt) can be disposed of in the regular trash.
- Computer batteries used in laptops and cameras contain hazardous materials and should be returned to the dealer, or taken to a recycling plant. When transporting your batteries to a recycling facility, make sure to package them separate from other items so they are accidentally mishandled.
- Laser printer toner cartridges should be returned to the dealer (or manufacturer) or a recycling facility
- Inkjet printer cartridges should be taken to a recycling facility or check with local or state guidelines for additional guidance.
- Computers, monitors and chemical solvents should be taken to a recycling facility or check with local or state guidelines for additional guidance.
When dealing with chemical solvents, check for an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) which should come packaged with the solvent. It contains valuable information regarding proper handling, health considerations, toxicity, what to do if you come in contact or ingest the material and spill clean-up procedures. If you are working in a commercial setting and work with these types of chemicals, the MSDS should be displayed somewhere in the work area.
MSDS information can also be obtained from the internet, and/or the manufacturer of the solvent.
When working with PC’s, damage can occur to both you and the computer equipment if proper care is not taken. The most common type of damage to computer components is caused by electro-static discharge (ESD). The best way to prevent this is by wearing an ESD wrist-strap which is properly grounded. Additional protection can be provided by using a grounding mat, which you stand on and is connected to a wall out (grounded to the wall outlet). As I mentioned earlier however, an ESD wrist-strap should NOT be worn when working with power supplies or the inside of a monitor.