First: Nothing Goes to Landfill
Let's get that out of the way. Whether a device is fixable or not, it does not go in a skip — it either gets reused or it goes for materials recovery through a registered route, and your disposition report says which.
The Parts Get Harvested
Even a completely dead laptop has useful bits inside:
- RAM and storage — Often perfectly fine and can be transplanted into other machines.
- Screens — A cracked screen from one laptop can replace a dead screen on another.
- Batteries and chargers — These are always in demand.
- Keyboards and trackpads — Individual key replacements are common fixes.
The Rest Gets Properly Recycled
What's left after harvesting goes to licensed downstream recyclers. Circuit boards get processed to recover precious metals, plastics get separated, and metals go back into manufacturing.
So even if your ancient, waterlogged laptop never computes again — it still does good.