How do I get there?
On the front page of our main site is a small map under our address.
For directions to our location, enter your starting point in the form below the map and click Get Directions.
A new window will open displaying a map with directions.
You can also get directions from google maps, map quest, or any other mapping site/program by entering our address: 518 Santa Fe, Kansas City, MO 64105.
If you get lost on the way, you can call us at (816)472-0444 and we will try to talk you in.
What forms of payment do you accept for purchases or recycling?
We can take cash; checks (not starter checks) with proper ID that clear the TeleCheck® system, and most major credit cards.
Will you hold … for me?
We have had too many people tell us that they are coming down to get an item and either never show up or show up in a week or even a month. We have limited space as it is and cannot store items indefinitely. The only items we will hold are items that our members have requested, and even then only for long enough for them to respond that they do still want the item and to come pay for it.
Why don’t you list your inventory online?
Our inventory changes on a fairly regular basis and we rarely get more than a few of any one item. By the time we got an item listed on our site and you traveled to our location the item would have already sold in many cases. The best we can do is say that we have multiple desks, tables, chairs, filing cabinets, Pentium III and Pentium 4 computers, Printers, and CRT monitors. Anything else we either do not carry, or get rarely enough that listing them would be futile.
Where are all the ‘good’ laptops?
We occasionally get a laptop that is actually worth something as far as our tech department is concerned. In the past, we sold them in our computer show room. Unfortunately due to the scarcity of these, and the demand for them, we have decided to sell them exclusively on eBay.
What about the personal information on my computer?
When a computer enters our reuse system, we format the hard drive as part of our testing procedure. This makes your data inaccessible to the average user.
If the system is new enough, we will install an operating system on the drive which makes the data even harder to access, as some of it will be over written in the install process.
If the computer is too old, or the hard drive is too small, we send them off to be demanufactured. In that case, they are literally put through a grinder and all data is irrevocably destroyed.
We also offer a data wiping service for $15.00 where we will erase your data to the U.S. DoD 5220.22-M Standard. (Overwrite the data 3 times)
If I can only get there when you are closed, can I just leave an item on your dock?
Many items have a cost associated to their recycling. Even if an item is in perfect condition when you leave it here, it doesn’t mean it will be in the same condition, or even still here, when we arrive. Our docks are not secured or covered. Thieves, vandals, and weather can all get there. Many times other people’s good intentions have cost us. A desk or chair that was good gets rained on or damaged and we have to pay for disposal, a piece of electronics in the same condition would have to be recycled which costs us even more. If you cannot get here when we are open, please find another responsible avenue to recycle your items through. If you aren’t sure where to go, you can check http://recyclespot.org/ for a nearby recycler.
What if I can’t fit an item in my vehicle when I buy it?
When in doubt, measure your vehicle and the item before purchasing. If you can’t fit it in the vehicle, or you are short on time; you have 5 business days from the date of purchase to pick up your items. This should give you plenty of time to beg, borrow, or rent a vehicle that should be big enough.
Why will you only hold items for 5 business days?
While our building may seem big, it is a finite space. We bring in at least on full 25 foot truck worth of items every weekday. If we hold items too long, we won’t have room to bring in new items. If we don’t bring in the new items, many of them could end up in landfills instead of being properly recycled. Also, if we can’t bring in new items we can’t pay our expenses. Over the 20 + years we have been doing this, we have concluded that 5 business days is the fairest we can be to both our customers and ourselves.
Can you come to my home for a pick-up?
Unfortunately, it comes down to a cost vs. benefit issue. The costs of home pick up far outweigh the benefits to the few donor/recycling customers that request it.
Will someone help me load/unload my heavy items?
We have staff and equipment here to help load or unload nearly anything you bring in. We can sometimes get a little behind if multiple tasks happen at the same time, so you may have to wait a little bit, but we will be happy to help you.
Where does all this stuff go?
If an item is in good working order and is not near the end of its usable lifetime, we sell the items to keep other costs down. If an item is broken or end-of-life, it can go to one or more of several places. If it is a piece of wooden or plastic furniture we have to pay for disposal and it ends up in a landfill. If it is metal, we recycle it locally. We usually break even or make a slight profit on that, after shipping expenses if we can keep thieves from stealing it before they pick it up and if we can keep people from dumping trash in the metal bin. If an item is electronic, we send it off to be demanufactured and recycled. We ship out several 53 foot trailer loads of e-waste a year. These trailer loads get sorted, properly deconstructed, and recycled back into the manufacturing process. Nothing we ship off ends up in a dump, a landfill, or a ‘third world’ country. Everything is handled inside the US in a safe manner.
Where do you get all this stuff?
Most of it comes from local businesses that are upgrading, moving, or getting rid of excess equipment; and some of it comes from responsible individuals who don’t want to see their e-waste end up in landfills or other countries.
Do you buy items?
The short answer is no.
If your item is in good enough condition to enter our re-use system, it is considered a donation and the value of that item is tax deductible. We will be happy to give you an in-kind gift receipt that you can file with you taxes, but that is the best incentive we can offer you. The expense of recycling e-waste out weighs its monetary benefit.
Will you charge me for recycling ... ?
There is no charge for motherboards, cards, processors, or computers.
We can recycle them for free, as the facility we use can recover enough value from them to cover the demanufacturing process.
We charge to recycle the following items:
Not Working—Non SVGA Monitors Or Monitors over 5 years old
Terminals
Microwave Ovens
Printers
Copiers (working or not)
Televisions
Stereo Equipment
Scanners
For a list of our recycling fees, please click on the Recycling Fees link on the left.
Do you want ... ?
We will be happy to recycle your e-waste for you.
Our main goal is to keep these toxic items out of the landfills and dispose of them in an environmentally responsible manner.
If an item is not "end of life" it will enter one of our reuse programs.
If not, it will go to one of a few select facilities we use for disposition.
Once there, it will be demanufactured, and properly disposed of.
Metals are recovered, and all items find a new life as a part of something else.
Nothing is dumped in landfills or leaves the country to clutter up someone elses world.
Can you call me when you get ... ?
The simple answer is not unless you are a member.
One of our founding principles was to get decent used office furniture and equipment into the hands of the non-profit community. In keeping with that goal we offer a want list service to our members.
In order to provide this service for all our customers who request it, we would have to hire a new full time position. To cover this position we would have to increase our prices or our recycling fees.
Our goal is not to be a retailer. One of our major goals at this time is to keep e-waste out of the landfills. We do this by either recycling e-waste in a responsible manner or by selling the reusable items to help cover the costs associated with the recycling. If we raise our rates or prices, fewer people would reuse or recycle through us. That just isn't responsible.
We apologize if calling us, at (816)472-0444, every-so-often to ask if we can cover your needs or desires is an inconvenience. That is part of the price in getting inexpensive equipment. I know it isn't good customer service to say this, but it is the truth.
Why am I being charged for donating ... ?
If an item can't be reasonably reused, we will recycle it for you.
If we recycle an item for you, it is not a donation.
If we recycle an item, it is not a donation. We are providing you with a service.
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