Municipal Collection and Packaging Guidelines

For those municipal entities who are bulk packaging their equipment for shipment to Technology Lifecycle, LLC. it is important that you be attentive to safe handling concerns. Contents do shift in transport. For the safety of all people handling your equipment, and for the opportunity to maximize the re-use potential on processed equipment, Technology Lifecycle LLC. asks you to follow these guidelines. If you need assistance or have questions about preparing items for shipment to Technology Lifecycle, LLC., please let us know. We would be happy to provide hands on instruction to your employees.

Collection Site

Technology Lifecycle LLC. will accept any and all approved materials from our municipal collectors as long as they have met the collection site criteria below:

Keep it Inside! Keep IT Dry!

We ask that the collection site for electronics be located inside a dry secure building with ample room for a forklift/pallet jack to remove the pallets. Storing electronics outside poses a groundwater contamination risk from dust inside each unit mixing with rain/precipitation. The water can collect lead, cadmium, phosphor, and halogenated flame-retardants if it flows through a computer, TV, or Monitor on its way to the ground. If you must store units outside please use/construct a shelter with sides or use a heavy-duty tarp to protect from falling and windblown rain, dew, and fog. All units stored outside must be on pallets or they cannot be accepted.

Basically, STORE IT INSIDE!!!

Packaging Guidelines

Use only structurally sound pallets. A pallet jack/ forklift must be able to easily enter the pallet from at least two sides. Double-walled Gaylord boxes may be used for shipping equipment. The boxes are typically 4’ x 4’ x 4’ and must fit on a pallet. If packing items in a Gaylord box and contents extend above the top of the box, secure items in the box using at least two layers of stretch wrap. Contents should never extend more than 18” over the top of the box. When shipping boxes on pallets, secure boxes to pallet with two layers of stretch wrap and/or strap. Boxes must be stacked with the heaviest boxes on the bottom with no boxes extending over the edge of the pallet.

When shipping loose items on pallets, stack heaviest items on the bottom with no items extending over the edge of the pallet. The stack should be fairly stable. Secure wrap and equipment to pallet with three layers of stretch wrap.

If an item does not fit on a pallet (mainframe equipment, photocopiers), those items can be shipped loose. Try to engage any caster brakes on the unit and nest these items on the truck between pallets so that movement is limited during shipment.

In general, if a person can push on the contents of a packaged pallet-load of equipment and the equipment does not shift, then it is safe to ship to Technology Lifecycle LLC.

Quick Tips: Here’s what you can do to protect handlers and increase productivity:

Handle all items you believe have any resale potential with care. Be careful to not damage or snap off any control covers. Do not place monitors screen to screen (that will scratch the screens). Instead place them face down on two layers of cardboard or back to front and place a piece of cardboard between each layer of monitors piled loose on a pallet. When packaging printers, remove paper trays and other items that protrude and place in a box.

Monitors & Terminals

When stacking monitors directly on pallets, follow these guidelines:

Remove all cables from monitors and place in a box whenever possible. Place the box on the top of the wrapped pallet. If cables cannot be removed from monitors, wrap the cables around the monitor bases. Avoid damaging monitor bases. If the base must be removed, place it with the rest of the monitor on the pallet.

Place a piece of cardboard on the empty pallet to make a firm base.

Set monitors on the pallet upright on their screens with each base facing the back of another monitor. When possible, place bubble wrap on the screen to reduce scratches on the screen. Do not let units extend over the pallet. Alternate rows of monitors and nest the monitors so that they have little room to shift. Try to place the same size monitors on each layer of the pallet.

Place another piece of cardboard on top of the first layer of monitors. Again, set the monitors on the cardboard with screens front-to-back and each row nested.

Continue this process until pallet is full. Stack up to 3 layers when using a pallet jack to load onto a tailgate lift, up to 4 layers when using a standard dock high truck.

Tightly shrink-wrap all layers onto the pallet. Use at least two layers of strong stretch wrap.

Computers & Laptops (Central Processing Units/CPUs)

All desktop, personal, and other computers can be mixed and stacked on pallets.

When pallet is full (not more than 5 feet high) use at least two layers of strong shrink-wrap to secure items to pallet.

Printers, Fax Machines, Copiers And Miscellaneous Equipment

If possible, printers and miscellaneous equipment should be boxed and stacked on pallets or placed in a double- or triple-walled Gaylord box.

If boxes are not available, printer equipment should be stacked with cardboard between each layer.

The heaviest units should be on the bottom layer. Remove trays unless you are sure that they will not be damaged. Place trays in a box and secure to top of pallet.

If items cannot fit on a pallet, place them loose on the truck.

Televisions

Televisions must be intact – no broken glass. If you need to ship a load with broken contents, you must get approval from Technology Lifecycle LLC. first.

Stack televisions carefully on pallets. The heaviest units should be on the bottom layer. Items must not extend over the edge of the pallet. Use at least three layers of strong stretch wrap.

THANKS FOR YOUR CARE AND ATTENTION!