If you have ever gone out and bought a brand new computer you will know how exciting it is when it arrives. Once you have unpacked it all and got everything set up and in position, you can spend the next few hours – or even days – playing with it. You’ve got to get it set up in just the right way for your needs, so it does take a while to get used to how it works.
But what about the computer you have replaced? What will you do with that old TFT monitor that has served its purpose and is now not required any more?
Well you may not realise this but old TFT monitors are actually viewed as being hazardous waste. They may not look it, sitting there in all innocence, but they are. Or at least they can be, if they were destroyed or smashed in any way.
So what should you do?
The first step is to consider whether your old TFT monitor is actually ‘past it’ at all. Even though you have bought a new computer your old monitor is very likely still in good working condition. If this is the case, try and find a new home for it.
Unfortunately many of us think that if we have no need for a computer monitor any more, then no one else will have a use for it either. In addition to this we might think that if we cannot sell it, we may as well just dump it. But as we have learned we cannot actually do this.
Luckily there are a few things we can do to solve the problem. There are several schemes in operation where you can recycle your old TFT monitor by making it available to other people in your community. These local swap organisations enable people locally who might be in desperate need for a monitor to get hold of your one for free. Why not give it a brand new home?
Alternatively you could try and sell it – either on eBay or perhaps in your local paper. Boot fairs wouldn’t be any good as you are not allowed to sell anything of an electrical nature.
But there is another solution as well. Some companies operate a service whereby they will take your TFT monitor for you and dispose of it safely. Some items can be re-used, if not all of them then parts of them. So you are doing your bit for recycling as well as making sure that any unwanted old monitors don’t cause any harm to the environment.
As you can see there is more to all this than meets the eye. So the next time you replace your TFT monitor, be sure you can do it properly and with respect to the proper laws. Think about recycling to someone else first, and if that doesn’t work ask a properly certified company to dispose of it for you. That should do the trick.