A charitable bend Dell-Goodwill team models for e-cycling

Oct 21, 2005 | 05:14 AM |

While state legislators and think tanks debate what sort of infrastructure to create for electronics recycling, a Maryland-based job skills charity, with the backing of computer vendor Dell Inc., is experimenting with several alternate options.

"As this thing evolves, we expect that Dell will work with the Goodwills in probably three or four different models," according to Jerry Davis, chairman of the board at Goodwill Industries International Inc., Rockville, Md.

The group has affiliates in 48 states. "We're not in Utah. We're not in Alaska," he said.

His agenda "We think the whole country can be blanketed by Goodwills that will be participating in some form or fashion. There are still some Goodwills that haven't bought into that yet but they are getting fewer and fewer," Davis added.

The first Goodwill-Dell project, launched in October 2004 with assistance from the city of Austin, Texas, was basically an enlargement of existing activities at Goodwill Industries of Central Texas, which has a service area that includes Dell's home base in Round Rock.

Central Texas Goodwill has been refurbishing and selling donated equipment since 1997, running its own Computer Works stores in Austin and San Antonio.

In handy proximity is Austin's Axcess Industries Inc., which breaks up electronic equipment to sell the materials for scrap. Axcess pays for some of what it gets from Goodwill, but items of little or no value are simply handed over.

Overseeing this effort has been Davis himself, who combines his headquarters role in Maryland with the local positions of president and chief executive officer at Central Texas Goodwill.....