E waste collection cost: what changes the price
A trolley of laptops, a large copier and a cabinet of batteries can take up the same floor space and still be very different jobs. These are the things that change the price.
| What changes the price | Why | What to send |
|---|---|---|
| Amount and mix | Heavy printers and big screens take more handling than laptops | A count by item type and a photo of the whole lot |
| Packing | Loose gear takes longer to load than packed pallets | How it is packed and the pallet sizes |
| Site access | Stairs, lifts, long corridors and dock bookings add time | The route from the equipment to the truck |
| Lifting | Heavy items may need a forklift or extra people | Item weights and whether a forklift is on site |
| Batteries or damage | These need separate handling | Battery type, condition and photos |
| Data devices | Wiping or destroying drives is extra work | A device list and how you want data handled |
| Timing | Fixed deadlines or short loading windows | Your dates and site hours |
Check what the price covers
Ask whether the price includes carrying equipment from where it sits now. Some sites have everything at ground level. Others need gear brought down from several floors. Say who will move it to the loading point.
Check the price covers everything on the list. A price for computers may not cover furniture, loose batteries or a copier found later. Mention everything up front so it can be looked at.
When you compare two prices, make sure they cover the same work. A low price that leaves out loading or data handling is not a saving.
When a free option makes sense
The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme gives households and small businesses free recycling for eligible items. It suits a small load you can carry in yourself.
Councils and Officeworks also take listed items. Free options usually do not include pickup from your site, help unloading or any handling of your data.
If your data is already wiped and the load is small, a free point may be enough. If you have locked devices, several pallets or a deadline, a booked collection is usually the better fit.
How site access changes the job
Office computers need to be signed off by IT, unplugged and brought to one spot. Say whether your staff will do this, or whether the collector needs to move them through the building.
For a floor-standing printer, send its size and rough weight. Check door widths, lift limits and loading dock rules with the building manager.
For a warehouse, say which gate to use and whether a forklift and driver will be free. Mention shared driveways, delivery queues and any site induction.
Devices that hold data
Tell the collector whether you want drives wiped or physically destroyed, or want advice. Spinning hard drives, solid-state drives and the storage inside printers can each need a different method.
Ask what happens if a drive will not wipe. Keep the decision on the method with the person responsible for your IT security.
What to send for a price
Describe the equipment, not the data on it. For example: "40 desktop computers with internal drives, 40 monitors and one large printer". Add photos of the equipment and the route out. List loose batteries separately and say whether IT has signed off the devices.
Ask the price to spell out what is included and what is not. If the load grows before collection day, send the updated list, as the price may change.
What Crex does
Crex prices business e-waste collection by email. We collect it, data is wiped or destroyed the way you instruct, and the rest is recycled.
See computers and laptops, printers and copiers and hard drives for how to pack each one. Tell us what you've got or email enquiries@crexgroup.com.au. Prices come back by email once the material is assessed.
Batteries in devices
Laptops, phones and tablets can come as they are, with their batteries in. Loose, swollen or damaged lithium batteries are not taken. Tell us if any device is swollen, cracked or has been in water.