Note: Chemicals and Hazardous Waste (Including Radioactive) must be handled by Safety & Risk Management. You can see who you need to contact by visiting the Waste Pickup website.

Proper Disposal

Computers and other electronic equipment CAN NOT be discarded into landfills:
Computers, monitors, printers, phones, and any other types of electronic equipment can contain significant quantities of toxic materials, mostly toxic metals, which if disposed of via landfills could leach from the electronic equipment and eventually enter ground water.

Accepted Equipment

Types of equipment that can be disposed of through the MSU Electronic Waste program:
The type of equipment that can be disposed of through the MSU Electronic Scrap Program include, but not limited to, computer towers, and components, cathode ray tube monitors (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors, keyboards, mice, desktop printers-copiers-faxes, laptop and portable devices and cell phones, televisions, microwaves, cables, cords, and other electronic equipment.

Disposal Procedures

University Department needing to dispose of outdated, unwanted computing equipment shall comply with the following steps:

  1. Complete the E-scrap form from the Safety and Risk Management web site.
  2. If the E-scrap Coordinator determines that an MSU department or entity desires the electronic/computing equipment that is usable, the hard drive is wiped to DOD standards and distributed.
  3. Departments are responsible for accounting for all electronic/computer equipment listed on the E-scrap Form. There are 5 fields on the form. If your department has additional items, please add in the "additional comments" box.
  4. The MSU E-scrap program will only accept for disposal and/or reissue of those items previously identified as qualifying electronic/computing equipment that cannot be legally disposed via sanitary landfill. Departments are advised to consult with the MSU E-scrap Coordinator for assistance in determining the appropriate means of redistribution or disposal.

Reissue of Equipment

Some computers can be reissued to other MSU departments, other public schools, or to other State entities or programs. Certain types or models of computers are desired and these will be identified by E-scrap personnel and the data storage media will be scrubbed using DOD protocols. When these computers are reissued to off-campus entities, computers will be required to agree that the ultimate disposal of computing equipment shall be via an approved metal’s recycler and not via sanitary landfill. CRT monitors will not be reissued. (The MSU E-scrap Program will maintain an inventory of those items deemed desirable or suitable for reissue. Normally, items will only be maintained in a reissue inventory for approximately 30 days before it will be disposed. Departments looking for useful computing equipment should contact the E-scrap Coordinator at 994-5678.)

Data Destruction

Due diligence destruction of data stored on computer hard drives:
Montana Board of Regents Policy requires that all University System entities ensure that any personal or protected private information is destroyed before computers and data storage media are disposed of. Montana State University uses an image master that wipes the hard drives to the standards of the Department of Defense.

E-Scrap Program Funding

Funding to operate the MSU E-scrap program is provided via a 2.5% charge that is currently being assessed on purchases of all computers and related equipment. This percentage is anticipated to increase in the upcoming FY, as it has not increased since the start of the program in 2009.