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Goodwill Offers Safe, Free Solution for Recycling Computers and Electronics

Posted on: Tuesday, 9 June 2009, 08:00 CDT

PITTSBURGH, June 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania today issued a statement outlining its capabilities and credentials for computer and electronics recycling in response to recent media reports about a recycling company that collected computer donations on behalf of several local nonprofit organizations.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080320/CLTH027LOGO)

A MESSAGE FROM MICHAEL J. SMITH, PRESIDENT/CEO, GOODWILL SWPA

Safe, Easy & Free

Recent media coverage of certain suspicious activities in connection with the recycling of computers and other electronics may have created some confusion or uncertainty about this subject. I want to assure the public that Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is the nonprofit of choice for safe, easy, free recycling of computers and electronics. We are a reputable, locally managed human services organization that has been part of this community for more than 90 years and a leader in computer recycling for more than a decade.

Donated computers and electronic items can be dropped of at any Goodwill store or attended donation center, completely free of charge. And, we will pick up large-quantity donations from businesses, schools or other organizations. Visit our Web site - www.goodwillswpa.org - for store and donation center locations.

Computer Recycling Since 1995

In 1995, Goodwill SWPA became the first Goodwill in the U.S. to initiate a computer recycling program when Carnegie Mellon University donated its inventory of used computers and provided technicians to help launch the Goodwill Computer Recycling Center (CRC). Located at our South Side headquarters, the CRC now processes thousands of donated

Goodwill Computer Recycling computers annually, some of which are refurbished to be sold to the public at our store, "ComputerWorks of South Side". The CRC also conducts a major de-manufacturing operation, removing valuable components to be sold as salvage materials.

The hard drives of all computers received by the CRC are erased to Department of Defense standards or destroyed.

Partnership with Dell

Our deep involvement in computer recycling grew significantly in 2006 through the establishment of a commercial partnership with Dell, Inc., one of the world's largest computer manufacturers. Named "Reconnect," the alliance with Dell is a comprehensive computer recovery, reuse and environmentally responsible recycling program that takes advantage of Goodwill's existing donation and retail infrastructure and the recycling experience and resources of Dell.

Under the Reconnect program, Goodwill collects donated computers and transfers selected equipment to a Dell product recovery partner to be refurbished and resold with proceeds coming back to Goodwill. Equipment that cannot be reused is disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. The Dell program is recognized as an environmentally responsible recycler of electronic materials.

Employment Opportunity

In addition to the Dell partnership, Goodwill manages a workforce development program to help welfare recipients comply with federally mandated employment guidelines as part of a joint venture with the City of Pittsburgh's Pittsburgh Partnership and the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. Under this program, up to 70 welfare-to-work participants can be employed daily by Goodwill to dismantle donated computers and related hardware into component parts for subsequent salvage operations or resale as refurbished computers. Other Goodwill clients also are employed in the de-manufacturing of donated computer equipment.

Conclusion

Because of Goodwill's considerable experience and expertise in computer recycling . . . because of our partnership with Dell . . . because of our workforce development and employment programs related to computer recycling . . . and because of our extensive network of stores and donation centers where computers can be donated with confidence free of charge . . . we believe that Goodwill SWPA definitely offers the safest, most practical solution in this region for individuals and organizations that are concerned about the environmentally sound recycling of computers and other electronic items.

About Goodwill (www.goodwillswpa.org)

Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania is a diversified human service agency that is supported, in part, by its network of 25 retail stores and other not-for-profit businesses. It serves all of southwestern Pennsylvania and manages several affiliate units and special-purpose entities, including Goodwill of Fayette County; Goodwill of North Central West Virginia; Goodwill Commercial Services, Inc.; Goodwill Residential Services, Inc.; and Goodwill Northside Common Ministries. Revenues from Goodwill stores and businesses help to fund job-training and employment-related programs and services. With over 900 employees, Goodwill SWPA serves about 100,000 people in various ways each year and helps about 2,000 people find jobs.

SOURCE Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania

Source: PR Newswire

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