I'm thinking of getting an LCD screen to replace for my old Diamondtron 19 inch monitor. What's the best way of getting rid of your old CRT? Rich Emmerson
The Diamondtron was an excellent monitor and should last a long time. It's probably worth offering it on eBay or at least recycling it locally via Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/). Otherwise there are not many good ways to dispose of one or two items, as opposed to dozens, unless there's a local recycler such as the Electrical Recycling Company Ltd (http://www.electricalrecycling.co.uk/) in York. The IT For Charities site has a useful list of recycling companies at http://www.itforcharities.co.uk/pcs.htm. Icer, the industry council for electronic equipment recycling (http://www.icer.org.uk/), may also offer guidance when its website returns.
If a monitor is only fit for scrap, your best bet is to contact your local council. The better ones will collect monitors for a small fee (usually up to £10) or let you take equipment to a dump where it will be recycled properly. Monitors are hazardous waste and you want them recycled by someone like The Mann Company (http://www.revision.tv/), not used as landfill.
If you buy from Dell, they will take your old stuff away -- any brand -- and recycle it (see http://www.dell.co.uk/recycling). Dell is one of the few PC suppliers that takes recycling seriously, and recycles equipment via ReCom (http://www.recom.org.uk/). However, things should improve on July 1, when the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Directive comes into force in the UK. This brings in "producer responsibility," which means that all the companies who produce IT equipment also have to dispose of it.
Backchat: Alan Gent also suggests TR Computers (www.trcomputers.com). "They are based in Winsford, Cheshire, but will collect within the M25 as well."
