Recycling circuit boards

[rwsaunders]

Any tips on what to do with old circuit boards? I have a few from furnace and oven repairs and I just disassembled a non-functioning dehumidifier for recycling. Thanks

[j44ke]

Any tips on what to do with old circuit boards? I have a few from furnace and oven repairs and I just disassembled a non-functioning dehumidifier for recycling. Thanks

We've been taking them in when we take our e-waste to recycling "events" locally and in NYC, but last time they didn't really know what to do with boards out of devices. I think they chucked them in their trash bin. However they took the devices that obviously had boards inside. And those boards are literally in everything electronic now, so maybe their volume has overwhelmed recycling facilities.

[rwsaunders]

We've been taking them in when we take our e-waste to recycling "events" locally and in NYC, but last time they didn't really know what to do with boards out of devices. I think they chucked them in their trash bin. However they took the devices that obviously had boards inside. And those boards are literally in everything electronic now, so maybe their volume has overwhelmed recycling facilities.

I read one article which indicates that there could be $30 worth of gold in a board. Thinking of my upcoming anniversary…5 boards x $30…hmmmmm.

[TonyP]

Have you called your trash collectors or recyclers? Ours does special pick-ups for electronic recycling.

[spopepro]

Yeah, electronics pickup, either as a drive or if your local trash has an option.

While there is a fair bit of precious metals (much more copper than gold) they are also full of lead and other not great stuff. And the way you get the metals out is to shred them and then run the dust through various chemical and electrolysis baths. Then you’re left with fiberglass and PTFE… goo. The 21 century’s tailing ponds. In the grand scheme of things… it’s gonna be a problem.

[sk_tle]

People in africa or asia are dying from cancer because of what we call in first world countries "recycling" [1]

In many countries shops selling electronics have the obligation to accept old stuff and send them for recycling + local trash collecting agencies also have special containers once every n months but honestly I am not comfortable with how we deal with that. These circuits boards are toxic. There was an old story of a nerd who had decorated his bed room/office by mounting circuits boards and computer main boards on the walls and poisoned himself.

[1] which more often than not consists of sending the stuff we don't want to deal with to third world country huge dump sites where people would intoxicate themselves and pollute their water sources and ground while trying to collect gold and copper.