Dell and Goodwill Launch Reconnect Texas

Austin, Texas

* Free Computer Recycling Program Will Collect More Than 11 Million Pounds of Used Equipment
* 319 Drop-off Sites Throughout Region Available To Consumers

The News:

* Reconnect, a free computer recycling service for any brand of computer is now available throughout the State of Texas and the greater Shreveport, La. area. Reconnect is managed by Dell and Goodwill Industries. Texas is the fifth state to have a statewide Reconnect program.
* Reconnect offers consumers free recycling for any brand of computer equipment in any condition. Consumers can find the most convenient of 319 drop-off locations at www.reconnectpartnership.com.
* Reconnect Texas goals are: to divert 11.5 million pounds of used computers and computer equipment from area landfills over the next year; provide consumer education on the importance of environmentally-responsible computer disposal and support Goodwill’s job training and creation programs.
* The first Reconnect program was launched with Goodwill Industries of Central Texas in Oct. 2004. Reconnect San Antonio was launched in July 2006 and Reconnect Houston was launched in March of 2008.
* Goodwill will accept and sort the donated computer equipment and Dell’s product recovery partner will recycle and remarket the recycled materials. Consumers are responsible for removing data from hard drives and other storage media before donating to Goodwill. Consumers can also request a Goodwill receipt at time of donation.

Background

* With today’s launch, Reconnect offers 955 drop-off locations for free computer recycling to consumers in several U.S. markets.
* Dell leads the industry in providing consumers free and convenient computer recycling options.In 2007 the company collected 102 million pounds of IT equipment from customers, a 20 percent increase over 2006.
* Other Reconnect programs currently exist in:
the state of Michigan
the State of New Jersey and City of Philadelphia,
the Commonwealth of Virginia and Greater D.C. Area
New York State
North Carolina (49 counties),
San Francisco (Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties),
San Diego,
Pittsburgh,
Savannah, Ga.
Northwest Ohio,
Sandusky Bay Area, Ohio,

Quotes:

Dan Nisley, current president of the Texas Association of Goodwills, said, “This program helps protect the Texas environment, provides a free service to Texas consumers and helps the members of the Texas Association of Goodwills create jobs in our great state. All of our members are very happy to join Reconnect and bring a program started in Texas four years ago to all Texas consumers.”

Joe Strathmann, head of product recovery services for Dell said, “Dell wants to make computer recycling easy and free for consumers and Reconnect helps make that possible. Reconnect is a win for consumers, a win for the environment and a win for communities. We’re celebrating the expansion of Reconnect to cover all of Texas just four years after we first tried this program in Austin.”

About Dell

Dell offers free computer recycling to consumers worldwide.

The Texas Association of Goodwills is responsive to the needs of people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, and actively promotes their full participation in our communities to maximize personal potential and develop work and life skills, through our training and employment programs.