FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Who Are Computer Parts & Electronics and Keystone State Auctioneers, Inc?
Computer Parts and Electronics (CP&E) is a division of Keystone State Auctioneers, Inc. KSA & CP&E processes computers and related equipment at a 24,000 square foot warehouse located at 1215 West Southern Avenue, South Williamsport, PA 17702. For over a decade they have been handling the technology assets from a large number of clients all over PA, MD, OH and NY.

Q. Why Recycle Your Old Electronics?
There are many compelling reasons to recycle obsolete electronic equipment, including protection of sensitive information and avoidance of environmental liability.

Facts and Figures
70% of heavy metals in US landfills come from electronic equipment discards. E-waste is now the largest source of lead in municipal solid waste landfills, comprising 40% of the total. Many modern electronics contain mercury lamps. These lamps, if not properly disposed of, can leach mercury into our groundwater. Mercury lamps are found in laptops, scanners, copy machines and flat screen monitors and TV’s. In 2005, of the nearly 2 million pounds of e-waste that were disposed of in the United States less than 20% were recycled.

Q. What Geographical Area Does CP&E Cover?
We will pick up truckloads (six-seven 4x4 Skids, five to six feet tall) anywhere in Pennsylvania and neighboring states. (Some restrictions may apply.) You or your organization may also drop off equipment at our facility located at 1215 W. Southern Ave, South Williamsport, PA 17702. We can also provide up to a 53-foot tractor-trailer that can be parked at your dock, free of charge, and you can load the trailer at your convenience. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at 800-784-1100 to discuss your options.

Q. What Does Responsible Electronic Recycling Mean?
Research estimates that electronic waste accounts for 80 percent of American’s toxic garbage and is growing exponentially. Electronic waste is a toxic threat to our soil and water supplies worldwide. CP&E collects, carefully disassembles and distributes the end product to certified downstream partners for reprocessing and recycling into new products or raw materials. While that may seem to be the expected definition of recycling, many recyclers do not invest in the labor and sourcing required ensuring it takes place. Reports show that less than 15% of e-waste material actually finds its way into new products in the form of recycled material. CP&E invests in the labor-intensive process of de-manufacturing to divert materials from landfills and incinerators.

Q. Where does it all go?
We work with carefully selected downstream partners that prepare the material we send them for reintroduction into manufacturing processes. We can provide full documentation about our partners’ processes.

Q. What materials do CP&E and KSA accept?
We accept: Complete Computer Systems, Printers, Notebooks, Parts Machines, Motherboards, Memory, Hard Drives, Monitors, Line Printers, Phone Systems, Micro and /or Mainframes, Computer Peripherals, Plotters, VCR’s, DVD players, and much more. For more information, please call us at 800-784-1100.

Q. Is It Illegal To Dispose of Electronics In Landfills?
In many states, electronics are classified as hazardous waste, so local regulations dictate that any electronic waste from non-residential sources (businesses, government agencies, etc.) cannot be disposed of in solid waste landfills. Electronic waste must be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility or recycled. Please see your state’s Department of Public Health and Environment’s website for more information.

Q. Why Can’t I Discard Old Electronics With The Rest of My Trash?
Electronics contain pollutants such as lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, phosphorous, lithium, and polycarbons. Electronics that are dumped in the trash often end up in landfills, where these substances can leach into the groundwater and soil. Flame retardant chemicals in computer plastics can release highly toxic dioxins when burned in trash incinerators.

Q. What fee is charged for pickup?
At the current time CP&E and KSA can pickup your outdated or un-useable electronics free of any charges. If you only have a few items, you can drop them off at our location during normal working hours Monday to Thursday from 8:30am to 5:30pm. You may drop off on Friday by scheduling an appointment.

Q. How can you do it for FREE?
Over the past decade we have developed a very diverse customer base as well as vendor base. We have customers that agree the reuse of electronics is the best answer. Through our parent company, Keystone State Auctioneers, these items are resold through a complex system to capitalize on profit. These profits allow us to provide the same full service to all customers. If your organization requires total destruction, we will and can provide that service free of any charges by spreading the profit.

Q. What additional services are offered?
CP&E and KSA offer full Identity destruction, Full DOD Hard drive wipe and/or hard drive destruction via an EDR Hard Drive Crusher. We offer a recycling or reselling guarantee and will provide a certificate of no landfill as well as electronics disposal compliance certificates.

Q. How do I know data on my computer or hard drives are securely destroyed?
Data security is the number one and an on-going concern for many individuals and organizations. When CP&E receives electronics for recycling, we simply wipe data from hard drive using a DOD wipe drive program. If your organization requires, we physically destroy your hard drives by sending them through our EDR Hard Drive Crusher. The crushed drives are then sent directly to a smelter. Since these materials are never sent to landfills, no one has the opportunity to grab a hard drive and access information.

Q. Can you provide information on your compliance history?
For over a decade CP&E and KSA have had no compliance violations and have taken our commitment to total customer satisfaction one step further in recently receiving a Department of Environmental Protection Beneficial Use Permit. (Permit No. WMGR081D015) The Permit requirement has been in effect since 2002 and is required for all companies that handle used or dismantle computers or computer related electronics.

Q. Why Resale?
If a computer is working, then it’s still useful, right? Resale and reuse is the best option. The EPA agrees that reuse of electronics helps the environment.

Q. Can CP&E provide a description of its processes?
CP&E and KSA are not electronics brokers. We are a Value Added Handler. Every piece of equipment is professionally handled right down to every computer mouse in a box.

In all steps: All identification as well as data is removed from each complete system or part.

The first step is to identify the re-usable parts and redistribute them to a computer maintenance companies, hospital, Fortune 500 companies, wholesale distributors, retail stores or end users.

In step one, all equipment is cleaned, tested, and redistributed with a 90-day warranty. The second step allows CP&E to redistribute slowly moving products and any equipment not easily reusable in step one though computer shows as well as live computer equipment auctions.

In step two, all equipment is cleaned, tested, and redistributed with a 30-day warranty. During step three, any product left over is deemed unusable and is scrapped.

In step three, all equipment is redistributed with no warranty (as-is). All identification as well as data is removed from each complete system or part. Throughout the three steps, our focus is to treat each piece of equipment as a reusable commodity, redirecting the flow of outdated equipment back into the marketplace, avoiding landfills. In step three all items are source separated and traded as a resalable commodity: Logic boards are re-smelted for the chips and gold, drives are smelted for the steel, aluminum, copper or gold, cases are sent to a steel handler and so on.

Q. Does CP&E send material for disposal in landfills or for incineration?
No. We have a zero landfill policy with every piece of computer equipment that enters our facility and no equipment ever gets sent for incineration, as well.

Q. Will CP&E allow me to verify this information through an on-site evaluation?
Yes, customers are welcome to tour our facility and also watch a demonstration of how the crushing machine disposes of hard disk drives. To schedule a tour, please feel free to call 800-784-1100.

Q. Can CP&E provide references and contact information for other businesses that have used your services?
Yes please feel free to call 800-784-1100 for a list of our professional references.

Q. What if I have other questions?
Please call our toll free number 800-784-1100 or Our Headquarters at 570-329-1005 and we will be happy to answer your questions!