Since 2005, Goodwill has operated an environmentally and socially responsible computer recycling and electronics recycling program. And its FREE and CONVENIENT for you to donate your computers and televisions, working or not. We accept computers, computer accessories and televisions from residents and businesses at all of our donation sites.
We have partnered with Dell Inc. for our residential computer recycling program, called RECONNECT. Our electronics recycling program and businesses computer recycling and reuse program is called ReCompute.
Our computer recycling and electronics recycling businesses creates jobs and supports our job training programs and helps to protect the environment!
REUSE
Goodwill refurbishes high quality donated computers to sell at our ReCompute retail store, located within the Flagship store at 1580 Mission Street, San Francisco (view all our store locations).We have a variety of computer systems and computer accessories for sale. Stop by and shop for your value priced high quality refurbished computer systems and accessories. Televisions and other consumer electronics are sold at all of our stores (based on availability).
RECYCLING
Goodwill diverts over 2 million pounds of computers, televisions and other electronics from the landfill each year. All of the donations are recycled with recycling companies that have a strict policy of environmental stewardship and nothing goes to the landfill.
Computers and electronics contain hazardous materials that are toxic to the environment when disposed of improperly. When computers and electronics are irresponsibly exported, some foreign workers are exposed to these hazardous materials. Goodwill is committed to environmental and social responsibility and we properly recycle all of your electronics and create jobs locally!
Television Recycling
Goodwill is committed to responsibly recycling eWaste, which includes televisions. The television set components are safely broken down. After which, all glass from television screens is reused in manufacturing new CRT (screen) glass. All CRT glass is tracked to its final recovery as a component for new products. Our recycling partner is a signer of the Basel Action Network pledge, which is an organization that works to prevent the globalization of the toxic chemical crisis.
How to Donate
We accept computers and accessories, free of charge, from residents and businesses at all donation sites. We also pick up computers from businesses (small fee may apply for business pick ups). Call (415) 575-2150 to make arrangements.
What we Accept
Visit our donations page for a list of all computer and electronics we accept.
Broken Monitors
Put any small items into a bag and place broken monitors into a box lined with a plastic bag. Seal the box and clearly label it "broken monitor" with the date. Computers do not need to be packaged unless the monitor is broken.
Donation Value
Want to know the tax value of your donation? Click here.
Data Security
We do everything we can to ensure the safety and security of data on donated computers, performing a data destruction process that meets U.S. Department of Defense standards for computers we plan to resell or we shred older hard drives we cannot reuse. We have an independent auditor test the hard drives after we wipe the data from them. At the same time, it's easy to erase your data yourself, which is a good practice no matter to whom you give your e-waste.
For PCs, click here to download Active Erase, a free Windows disk cleaning software available on c|Net's Download.com.
For MAC users, Mike Romo of Symantec outlines the data destruction process in an article entitled, "Secure Hard Drive erase tips for Macintosh users." He writes:
For OS 9 users (usually older Macs released before 2001)
1. Boot off System Software CD (included with the Mac)
2. Find "Drive Setup" application, usually in "Utilities" folder
3. Under "Initialization Options" select "Zero out all data"
4. Select the hard drive you wish to initialize and then click "initialize".
For OS X users
- Boot off Mac OS X System Software install CD (included with the Mac). This CD can also be used to erase most older Mac OS 9 Macs as well
- Under the "Installer Menu" select "Disk Utility"
- After the Disk Utility window opens, select the hard drive/volume you wish to erase and then click the "Erase" tab
- In Panther (Mac OS X 10.3): Click Options (optional) to choose a more secure method of erasing the disk ("Zero all data" and "8 Way Random Write Format").
In Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4): select the drive you wish to erase and click "security options". You will have several erase options, each with an explanation. The 35-Pass Erase is the most secure — and will take several hours!
Additionally, in both 10.3 and 10.4, when you empty the trash in the Finder, you can alternately select "Secure Empty Trash" from the Finder menu, which will make it basically impossible to recover or undelete erased files.
