Mac Recycling Guide
Disassembling Macs can be a long and arduous process. Thankfully, there exists hugely extensive documentation provided by both Apple and its many communities that detail the steps required for just about any kind of Mac you'll encounter.
The purpose of this page is to record the recycling procedures for MacBuild. A table outlining general guidelines for which systems get recycled or built can be found here. A good deal of what we disassemble in MacLand can be used to rebuild other systems, but there are instances when we have too many of one component or some piece of a computer is too broken or old to be reused. In those cases components should be sorted before taking them to the warehouse to be recycled.
Peripherals Recycling
Recycling Boxes
There are 9 crates of sorted recycling in MacBuild and they are:
- Magnetic Metal
- Non-Magnetic Metal
- E-Plastic
- Plastic and Metal
- Circuit Boards
- Gizmos
- CBM (Copper Bearing Materials)
- Cables
- Batteries
There is a hard drive magnet stuck to the recycling cart for you to test magnetic properties of metal. If there is a piece, such as the bottom cover of an eMac that has plastic attached firmly to metal, it goes in the Plastic & Metal crate. If you are able to easily separate the metal from the plastic, the two pieces will go in the appropriate crates. Circuit boards should be separated from other components as much as possible. Try to keep power supplies separate from optical and floppy drives, but it isn't the end of the world if they both go in a box of Gizmos to the warehouse. The CBM box should consist of electronics like AC adapters, speakers, and remotes that have had their cables and/or batteries removed. There are always scissors or wire cutters between the Cable and CBM boxes.
Where to take recycling
When these boxes are full they should be walked to the warehouse.
- Optical drives should be transferred to their own box and placed on the shelf labelled "Aluminum Drives" by the Recycling Table.
- Power supplies should be placed in the crates by the Recyclers Check-In station.
- Crates of circuit boards go on the shelf past the Staff Computer by the window.
- Non-Magnetic Metals should be placed on the floor or shelf under the "Non-Magnetic Metals" sign (Located behind the Recycling Table by the DNR from Store shelf)
- Batteries should be given to a staff member or placed near the staff work-station
- Make sure that there is nothing other than cabling in the Cables box and dump it into the gaylord labeled "Cords"
- The CBM box should be placed in front of the CBM gaylord
- Magnetic Metal should be placed in front of the Steel bin
- Ask a staff person where to put the mixed metal/plastic crate
- E-Plastics should be placed in front of the E-Plastic gaylord
System recycling
How to Recycle
For links to disassembly guides all over the internet see a sortable database created with many (nearly all) models of Mac Computers. This database includes links to the appropriate hard drive removal guides on iFixit.com
To sort for specific variables (like if you want to see only a certain model) select the thing you want to narrow your focus to, and press the Auto Filter button (it looks like a funnel with a line going through it). To cancel your selection, press the Remove Filter/Sort button.
Where to recycle systems
Actual computers being recycled should be marked on the Mac Recycling Tally Sheet kept in the MacBuild room. Systems are tallied by type (Desktop, Laptop, or All-In-One CRT/LCD) and covered status (Covered or Uncovered). Tally the systems accordingly before taking them to the warehouse.
- All towers go on the stacks by the Recycling Bench
- All all-in-one LCDs go on the All-In-One shelf across from the recycling staff work-station
- All CRT systems (once they've been processed) go next to the CRT gaylord near the entry-way to the warehouse
- Covered laptops go in the gaylord down the Hardware Grants aisle
- Uncovered laptops go in the gaylord by the parking lot door
These procedures will change as our flow does, update this page when needed.