Disposing of some items can be easier than others. If you are throwing away food, packaging and other everyday household items it is normally a simple process of putting it in your rubbish bin or your recycling bin. Other items might involve a larger solution, such as hiring a skip but otherwise the process is much the same. Then there are those items which come with a heap of extra steps that you need to take before you can throw them away - one such example is electrical devices, such as a computer. Back-up your files The most important thing to do when buying a new computer is to back-up and transfer the files from your old machine. As well as saving the files from your old machine ready to transfer it is definitely worth keeping a separate, regular back-up of your files in-case the worst should happen and your computer breaks or gets damaged. De-authorise programs When you install new programs onto your computer, many of them come with a license key that authorises them and activates them for use. Many of these programs allow you to use the key on a few different machines but the number is not infinite, therefore it is in your best interest to de-authorise and then uninstall them from your old machine before installing the program on your new computer so you don't hit the limit. Wipe the drive After transferring your files and removing your old programs you may think that it is now safe to dispose of your computer or to sell it on. This is not the case as there could always be data and files on your machine that you might have forgotten to remove or that you may not have even known about in the first place. The best way to prepare your computer is wipe the hard drive of all data. There are programs that you can use to do this but alternatively there is the option to restore your computer to factory settings or to format the hard drive. How to dispose of your computer? Now that your computer is completely wiped and you have backed-up your files and your programs it is safe to recycle your computer - but how should you do it? There are a number of different ways you can go about the process depending on how old your computer is and how you bought it:
- Pass it on: The easiest way to get rid of your computer is to pass it on to someone else who may need it.
- Return it: Since 2007, the WEEE directive has been in effect meaning that, in theory, you should be able to return your electrical device to where you bought them.
- Local council recycling centre: This is the most efficient way of getting rid of your computer if you can't do either of the above. Check your local council's website to find your nearest location.
- Donate it: Another solution is to consider donating your computer to a charity organisation. There are many different ones out there so be sure to look into them.
Remember, for all your other household waste disposal services be sure to contact us at WT Skip Hire on 01493 668118 or drop us an email to info@wtskiphire.co.uk.