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RECYCLING
High-Tech Trash
by Katy Marquardt

Too bad Santa isn't in the recycling business. Millions of us would be spared the chore of chucking an old computer that has just been replaced by a new one under the Christmas tree. Trashing isn't an option because computers contain toxic materials that can leach into the soil.

But you don't have to store it in the basement or the back of a dusty closet. If your computer is less than five years old and in working order, chances are that a charitable organization would be happy to take it off your hands. If it's truly scrap metal, there's always the recycling route.

One easy way to donate your computer, printer or scanner for reuse is through the National Cristina Foundation. Fill out a form on its Web site (www.cristina.org), and the organization will find a group in need that will arrange to pick up your PC within two weeks. The Salvation Army and Goodwill are also good bets for donations, although some Goodwill stores don't accept PCs. Be sure to get a receipt: Donating a computer will earn you a tax break if you itemize deductions. And use disk-cleaning software to permanently overwrite your files.

If your machine is below a Pentium or an Apple Macintosh Power PC, it's a dinosaur no one wants. "These old computers become a liability for us -- it's basically like sending us a bill," says the Salvation Army's Dennis Gensler, Instead, find a final resting place for your old junker by searching for recycling programs at www.eiae.org.

The major computer manufacturers offer recycling programs -- you'll pay a fee to cover shipping and dismantling, and you'll need to pack up the computer yourself. Hewlett-Packard and Dell will send a delivery service to your house to cart off your machine, no matter what the brand. HP charges $13 to $34 per component, depending on size, and Dell's fee is $5 per component if you register through its Web site. (If you buy a new Dell desktop or laptop, Dell will recycle your old computer gratis.) For about $30, Gateway will dispose of an old PC and send you a voucher based on its trade-in value that you can apply to buying a new Gateway.