Electronic Recycling Frequently Asked Questions

What type of materials do you accept?

We accept anything related to computers or high-tech equipment.

How quickly can Alianza help you?

We generally respond within 24 hours and often can provide same day service.

What does Alianza do with all the stuff? 

We break hardware down into its base component parts and distribute them into their respective recycling streams – metals, plastics, circuit boards, cardboard, wire & cable –even packaging is recycled.

Is Alianza environmentally friendly?

Absolutely! We do not generate any toxic waste, fumes or particulate matter into the atmosphere because our operation is strictly hands-on in nature. There is no burning, melting, grinding or chemical bathing to reduce our electronic waste down to its constituent recyclable waste stream. Nearly everything we accept for recycling is in fact, recycled.

We only generate a small amount of electronic waste – how can Alianza help you?

We can drop off a container(s) at your facility. When it is full, we collect it.

What about reporting – can I get a record of what Alianza recycled? 

Yes. We provide documentation that details materials received – weights, amounts, etc. We also provide a Certificate of Destruction, which verifies that your product has been destroyed or processed to your requirements.

What are the Health Risks?

• Lead – The health effects of lead are well known; lead exposure causes brain damage in children and has already been banned from many consumer products.
• Mercury – Mercury is toxic in very low doses, and causes brain and kidney damage. It can be passed on through breast milk, just 1/70th of a teaspoon of mercury can contaminate 20 acres of a lake, making the fish unfit to eat.
• Cadmium – Cadmium accumulates in the human body and poisons the kidneys.
• BFRs – Brominated flame retardants (BRFs) may seriously affect hormonal functions critical for normal development. A recent study of dust on computers in workplaces and homes found BFRs in every sample taken. One group of BFRs, PBDEs, has been found in alarming rates in the breast milk of women in Sweden and the U.S.

How does recycling cell phones help the environment?

Cell phones have a number of different metals in theme which can be recycled – copper, gold, silver, and palladium.  Gold for example; if we recycled 100 million cell phones, .4 metric tons of gold could be recovered – allowing that amount of gold to enter back into production without being mined.  Because the mining and processing were avoided, tons of loose soil, sand, and rock would not have to be disturbed. Substantially less fuel would be used, dramatically reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases.

What products can be made from the materials recovered by recycling?

Almost all of the materials used to manufacture electronics can be recovered to make new products. E-waste is a valuable source of secondary raw materials. Metals, plastics, and rechargeable batteries from recycled cell phones are turned into new materials and products. The recovered metals are then used by a number of different industries such as jewelry, plating, electronics, automotive, and art foundries. The plastics recovered from cell phones are recycled into plastic components for new electronic devices or other plastic products such as garden furniture, license plate framer, non-food containers, and replacement automotive parts.  When the rechargeable battery can no longer be reused, the battery can be recycled into other rechargeable battery products.

Why is E-Waste a problem? 

If untreated and discarded improperly it can be toxic; electronic waste is a major source of toxins and carcinogens. Electronic waste represents 2 percent of America’s trash in landfills, but it equals 70 percent of overall toxic waste.

Why should we recycle E-Waste?

Recycling electronics prevents toxins and other hazardous components from being improperly disposed of and supports the recovery and reuse of valuable materials.

What should I do with my computer equipment before I recycle it?

Remove any information, files and personal data before disposing of.

Which wireless devices can be reused or recycled? 

Most wireless devices and their accessories have material that can either be reused or recycled:

• Wireless phones including handsets
• Personal digital assistants (PDAs) that operate on wireless networks
• Blackberries
• Wireless computer cards
• Accessories such as spare batteries, phone charges, cables, headsets, earpieces, cases, clips and cradles.

How much does electronic waste removal service cost?

Nothing! We will pick-up and recycle all your e-waste.

How can Alianza offer e-waste recycling services for free? 

The user of electronics pays at time of purchase a recycling fee and those funds cover a significant portion of the recycling cost.

Is Alianza Recycling and Recovery HIPAA Complaint? 

Yes, our recycling process is designed specifically around HIPAA. We take added measures to ensure that we are always up to date on any new national, state, and local laws or regulations regarding e-waste disposal.

Is Alianza an approved Electronics Recycler? 

Yes! It is important to evaluate your electronics recycler. Each recycler may follow different practices, the business practices implemented by Alianza are protecting public health and the environment, improving worker safety practices and reducing potential exposures through implementing good recycling practices by using an environmental, health and safety management system; promoting reuse and material recovery; minimizing exposures or emissions during recycling operations; and conducting due diligence throughout the recycling chain. Alianza insures all its clients’ best practices and exercises due diligence to assure appropriate management of all electronic materials throughout the recycling chain whether domestic or international. Alianza requires that the downstream recyclers manage the electronics throughout the recycling chain properly, whether in the US or in another country.