E-cycling the obsolete

East County’s only computer recycling center opens its doors

By Kari Hastings

The Sandy Post, Nov 22, 2006, Updated Oct 30, 2009

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The center will recycle the electronics, restore them and donate them to a good cause or use them for educational purposes.

Manske said he has talked to the Geek Squad at Gresham’s Best Buy about offering free community education classes. He also has talked to Mt. Hood Community College and Barlow High School about using the center for computer classes.

Meanwhile, Norman said he wants to reassure people that their personal information will be safely removed from any dropped-off hard drives. A simple software program wipes hard drives clean.

“It erases everything; it wipes it clean to government standards,” Norman said. “And we can give people a certificate of destruction.”

Computer shells and parts go to various recycling businesses around the Portland area. Motherboards are particularly profitable. Recently, Norman took 400 pounds of motherboards and processors to a Northeast Portland company and came back with a $300 check.

Volunteers also can benefit from the new center. Thirty or more volunteer hours will net them a restored, Internet-ready computer, thanks to a Microsoft grant.

A thrift store also is in the works, where restored and tested computers, printers, memory, copiers and more will be sold at 10 cents on the dollar.

“This has been a true collaboration of so many businesses and entities,” Manske said, noting that the organization’s space, furniture and other supplies have been donated. “The community has really come together on this. Now we just need people to know we’re here and drop off computers. We have