Short Series on E-Waste: Part II

Part I: What is E-Waste?
Part II: What does MSU do with its E-Waste?
Part III: How do I get rid of my E-Waste?

Part II:
What does MSU do with its E-Waste?

Computers are one of the fastest changing and lowest lifespan products that are commonly used. As a major research university with 57,000 students and staff, Michigan State University has tens of thousands of computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, and other electronic products throughout its campus. These items are frequently replaced and consequently are one of the main commodities the MSU Surplus Store receives. Due to this MSU Surplus Store picks up over 230,000 lbs of e-waste annually, so what is done with all these items?

MSU currently has a contract with an electronics recycling company which is responsible for the proper disposition of the E-Waste created by the University. The items are then disassembled and everything that is recyclable is processed. What is left is properly disposed of in the government mandated manner. Which means that these items are responsibly disposed of and are not sent to generic landfills or shipped to developing nations where they are commonly burned and then improperly disposed cause incredible harm to the environment.

Once a sufficient quantity of e-waste is collected at the MSU Surplus Store the items are shipped out for processing and recycling. Depending on what type of item is being sent to our E-Waste recycler, there are different processes each item must undergo.

1) Computers: All computers are stripped of any part that is still salvageable and the hard drives are removed. Next, all the hard drives are processed by a program which overwrites all data on the existing drive with 1s and 0s. This is done to insure that sensitive data is not still available on the hard drive. Any hard drive that is not functioning or hard drives that have extremely sensitive information on them (such as social security numbers, credit card information, ect) are shredded and destroyed.

2) CRT Monitors: While monitors do not require a great deal of processing, it is still important to treat them with caution. Monitors can hold a tremendous internal electrical charge, even after being unplugged. If the back portions of the unit are exposed, they can also present a hazard if not handled properly. The pressurized tube in the back of the unit can implode if not properly handled. Monitors which are missing their back cover are boxed for the safety of our staff, students, and customers. Intact monitors are stacked on pallets and shrinkwrapped for our recyclers to dispose of.

3) Printers: All ink or toner from the printers is removed and sold for re-use. The remaining waste of the printers are placed on pallets for pick up.

4) Smaller Items: Any non-working smaller electronics or computer items are placed in a large box for recycling. These items range from broken keyboards and mice to bad toasters and power supplies.

Over the past few decades, E-Waste has become a more and more pressing environmental issue. At MSU, we strive to lessen our impact on the environment in any way we can. One way we have found is through the use of recyclers who meet national standards for disposing of E-Waste. Check back later for the final part of this E-Waste series.

Fair? You be the Judge

One thing I hear quite frequently is "you guys keep all the good stuff for yourselves". Meaning: my staff steals all of the good stuff or at best cherry picks it before it goes out to the sales floor. This couldn't be further from the truth. We have to come through the door on sale day mornings just like everyone else. A few weeks ago a "regular" customer complained that one of my employees cut in front of them in line and bought the item he was waiting for. First of all, there really isn't a line outside, more like mob rules. Also, it turns out there were 3 lamps, he got 1, the employee got 2 and gave 1 tag to a new customer who wasn't so quick and didn't know the system. Everyone paid full price. 3 lamps for 3 people, sounds fair to me.

I put heavy emphasis on maintaining a system built on integrity and fairness for all customers regardless of them being a "regular", staff or a newbie.

Construction Progress - Part III

Construction continues for the new MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Facility. Last time we visited the site were were able to see the process of placing the footings for the facility. This work is continuing for now with 50+ aggregate piers being installed per day. Overall there will be approximately 888 of these footings installed for the building. The newest part of the project is the start of the installation of the Storm Sewer Drains on the west side of the facility. This will be followed by sanitary, water main, then electric duct bank.

Rember to keep checking back for more photos and updates on the progress of construction.

Get Up to the Minute Product Updates

One of the questions we get most frequently is, "how will I know when you get something in?" Historically, you wouldn't without stopping in during our "viewing hours" twice a week before public sales to review the sales floor. Our first step in addressing this question was to start placing certain items on eBay. We began this process in 2001 and it has been a good way to advertise. Currently, our eBay store catalog contains about 1400 items. Next we added our own online store (http://www.msusurplusstore.com/). This provided us the opportunity to list items online at a lower cost than eBay, with more flexibility. Our online store catalog has about 1000 items in its catalog. The newest addition we are adding is Twitter. Twitter is a free online service that will allow us to post quick updates about what we are putting up for sale. By signing up, you can receive the updates via e-mail, text message on your phone, or instant messenger. You can also just check this blog as our Twitter posts can be found on the right side menu. Watch for this new feature to expand over the next several months. We hope you find it useful.

Mowing the Mower?

If grass grows on your mower what do you mow your mower with?

Send us your suggestions

Short Series on E-Waste : Part I

Some of you may be wondering what MSU does with their E-Waste (Electronic Waste). Over the next few weeks we will take a look at what E-Waste is and how MSU deals with the growing problems due to E-Waste.
Part I: What is E-Waste?
Part II: What does MSU do with its E-Waste?
Part III: How do I get rid of my E-Waste?

Part 1:
What is E-Waste?

E-Waste is one of the fastest growing types of waste disposed of in landfills.
It is estimated that as many as 35 million PC's could find their way into
landfills in 2008. Computers, monitors, printers, and other electronics
contain thousands of components and a number of highly toxic materials
including lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and PVC plastics that pose a
real danger to the environment if they are simply dumped in landfills.
Electronics not properly disposed of can leak chemicals into groundwater and
create hazardous carcinogenic chemicals.

E-Waste is any device with a circuit board on it that is near its end of useful life. This includes a lot of items, here are some examples: computers, laptops, monitors, printers, calculators, stereos, copiers, alarm clocks, and many more. These items are not wanted in landfills as they are not biodegradable and some items are hazardous materials (CRT monitors for example). It is said that as much as 70% (40% of lead) of the heavy metals in landfills is due to CRT monitors. To keep these items out of landfills new laws have been put in place and these laws are being updated constantly.
The list of companies that will accept E-Waste is growing due to the high demand to dispose of these items properly. Another reason more companies are starting up is that E-Waste has recyclable metal in them: gold, copper, and aluminum are just a few of the items one could make money selling. Now separating these metals out of the boards they are on is not easily done and it takes time and special equipment to do it right. This is a quick overview of what E-Waste is, please check back later for parts 2 and 3.

Construction Progress - Part II

We promised last time that we would have more exciting photos of the job site. While the photos themselves may not be able to capture the work that was being done, there are many more interesting things happening on the job site now. What we have pictured is the start of the placement of the footings for the building. This involves a very large crane, a loader that can lift stones 75 feet in the air, and what can only be described as a 25-foot-tall jackhammer. The footing process involves the placement of stones underground to stabilize the footings of the building by basically injecting the fill underneath the top soil. This process makes the placement quick and easy, and we should see the construction moving onto the next phase in the very near future.

Keep checking back as we hope to update everyone weekly with new pictures and updates on the construction progress.

Penn State Surplus

Check out the Penn State University Surplus eBay auctions:

Penn State

Sohmer Piano

Do you need a piano for a good price? Check out the Sohmer piano that is at the MSU Surplus Store. With a little tuning it would be a nice piano. $300.00

Third Bike Shipment

The MSU Surplus Store is receiving its third shipment of bikes for the summer. They will be available for viewing on Wednesday, July 9 and Thursday, July 10 from 12:00 until 3:30 pm, and for sale on a first-come, first-served basis Friday, July 11 from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm.

Let's Make a Deal!

Have you ever had a garage sale? If you have, someone has inevitably approached you with an offer of $.25 for an item marked at $.50. If you are like me, you politely turn away, roll your eyes, turn back and say “sure.” The MSU Surplus Store doesn’t quite work that way. We have a fiduciary responsibility to students of MSU and the State of Michigan to attain maximum value for their financial investment into the items we sell. This doesn’t mean we can’t discount prices, or offer incentives to purchase an item. There are a variety of factors that go into our pricing, and after a time of not selling most prices can be adjusted. Here are 9 tips on how to make a deal at the MSU Surplus Store:

1. Never ask for more than half off.
2. Give it a week. Items are almost never discounted on the first day.
3. Come prepared. Offer to take large items with you. We would rather not move and store large sold items.
4. Wait until the end of the day to ask for a deal.
5. Buy things in bulk. In most cases, there is a 20% discount if you buy 5 or more like items.
6. Don’t disparage the item. Asking the sales person for a deal because the item is “junk” is not effective.
7. Be sincere. Don’t exaggerate details about how long an item has been for sale, or claim you are the only person in the world who would ever buy it.
8. Know what the item is worth. We look up values for a lot of our items through a variety of resources. Since we do not test most items, in many cases our prices are comparably lower. Sometimes the asking price is already a great deal.
9. Watch for upcoming events. Large event sales, like bike sales, mean we need to move inventory fast in order to make room.

Construction Progress

We have a few photos taken 7/2/2008 of the starting progression of the construction of the new Surplus Store and Recycling Center. While these might not be the most exciting of photos the clearing and balancing of the site is nearly complete. Next week will see the start of the placement of the building's footings, which promises to be more interesting as very large cranes will be involved.

Keep checking back as we hope to update everyone weekly with new pictures and updates on the construction progress.

Weekend Happenings

We’re closed this Friday in observance of Independence Day. Luckily we’re not the only sale in town. I would encourage you to check out Friday’s auction at Dennis Beals Auctions in downtown Haslett. We all need to support local small businesses and Dennis puts on a great auction. He has an easy call so newcomers to auctions shouldn’t be intimidated. This Friday’s sale is the 10th of the Eric Olson estate. He was the owner of a local antique shop and the quality and variety of offered items is hard to match in this quantity. I didn’t see much going on with Estate Sales this weekend, but next week looks promising.

http://www.dennisbealsauction.com/events.htm

New Year's Resolution

My name is Kris Jolley and I am the Store Manager for the MSU Surplus Store. Today marks the start of a new fiscal year for us. With a new building on the horizon I hope to make some significant improvements in several areas to help usher in a new era for the MSU Surplus Store. One major focus will be improving our web presence by enhancing this “blog”. The fact is, this has been more of a general announcement board than a true blog. That’s not a bad thing, but I think I can provide you with a lot more. I have over 17 years of Surplus experience, a passion for the business and a great staff of engaged Surplus professionals. My staff and I receive dozens of phone calls and e-mails annually from colleges around the country inquiring about using eBay, on-line stores, computer recycling and data security. I hope to add value by discussing topics of e-commerce, reuse, sustainability and recycling. I hope other colleges, state agencies and non-profit organizations can use this as a resource to build their programs. I also hope to enhance the customer experience by offering more information about our sales and services as well as local and national Surplus news and events you might find interesting.

My goal is to build a network of Surplus professionals and customers. To this end I encourage readers to help spur lively conversations by commenting and asking questions. If you run a Surplus program, feel free to send me information about your program. I would be happy to help promote all the good and new things you are doing. If you are a customer, send me information about all the cool things you are doing with your Surplus acquisitions. Last but not least, send me all of your funny or interesting Surplus stories, as we all have them.