Keeping E-Waste Out Of The Landfill (con't.)
The company disassembles the items it receives and sends the resulting components downstream to companies that further break down and extract materials. Ultimately, all those parts make their way to a location where they are used again to make a new product.
Electronics manufacturers have become increasingly involved in the recycling and reuse of their products. Many computer manufacturers, for instance, offer collection and recycling services to both small and large organizations. Some companies accept only equipment that is their brand, while others will take any brand of computer equipment.
The Rethink Initiative, a collaboration of eBay, industry, government, and environmental organizations, is a network through which both businesses and households can find resources, including companies that will process their electronics for recycling or reuse purposes. The details of these programs vary, with some charging a fee and others offered for free.
In 2004, Hewlett-Packard, a participant in the Rethink Initiative, recycled 120 million pounds of computer and printer hardware and supplies worldwide. In order to accept used equipment, the company charges a fee based on volume and will handle any equipment brand.
Often, manufacturers that take back computers for recycling send the equipment to private recycling firms like PC Recycler. “Since we have started, pretty much every major computer company has adopted electronic recycling policies,” says Monsen. “They outsource to smaller companies like us. The awareness has definitely increased.”
Many recycling services offer facility managers the opportunity to derive value from their old equipment that can be used again in some capacity. These companies will offer cash or a credit toward recycling services, depending on the determined value.
PC Recycler offers this type of service through its residual recovery program. “We give credit back for equipment with residual value,” explains Monsen. “If there are computers that can be resold, we will resell those items on the client's behalf and credit back a portion to them toward other recycling they may do.”
Organizations with a relatively quick turnover of equipment might benefit from this type of program. “We work with some contractors who turn over their equipment every two years. Most of their items have residual value,” continues Monsen.
Dell, another participant of the Rethink Initiative, has a value recovery service through which organizations can receive cash for their old equipment that Dell resells. Asset recovery programs like these can help to offset the costs of sending electronic equipment to be recycled.
If facility managers want to go another route, donating their equipment is an option. Likely recipients include schools and non-profit associations. However, it is important to note that out of date computer systems can be more of a burden than a blessing to these organizations as the cost to bring them up to speed can be prohibitive. Equipment can be donated to recyclers or refurbishers as another option.
Another thing to consider when donating equipment is that facility managers cannot be sure of where the item will be sent when the recipient finally retires it. However, the advantage of extending the life cycle of the equipment can make this a viable option.
Data security is also an important aspect of disposing computers and other equipment that contain sensitive information. In order to ensure that no one downstream will be able to access any information, hard drives must be wiped of all information. Simply deleting the data is not a foolproof method, as there are programs that can retrieve it.
Many recyclers offer data security services. It is sometimes unclear whose domain this falls under—facility management or IT. Jeremy Farber, president of PC Recycler, advises that these two departments communicate what will be done to delete the data, both in-house and at the recycling facility.
“Before anything gets discarded,” Farber says, “facility managers should consult with IT managers to find out who will take responsibility for this.”
In addition to recycling and reuse, facility managers can extend the life of electronics while they are being used in their organization. This can be done by purchasing equipment with the EPA Energy Star label, because those items are designed to run efficiently. Routine maintenance on equipment will also help to prolong its useful life in the organization.
While facility managers can help stem the tide of e-waste piling up in landfills, manufacturers have the opportunity to reduce environmental threats at the source. Many companies have been working to find methods and materials that take the health of the environment into account.
While the function of electronics requires that the use of more environmentally friendly materials must also be technologically feasible, there has been progress. Intel, for example, has been working on developing lead-free manufacturing standards and processes. The company is exploring the use of silicon to replace lead in certain functions and released its first products with this material in 2001.
According to a 1999 study from the National Safety Council (NSC), the average lifespan of a personal computer will have decreased from 41/2 years in 1992 to about two years in 2005. The NSC study also predicted that by this year, more than 250 million personal computers will have become obsolete. With statistics like these, it is clear that action to keep e-waste items out of landfills is crucial. Facility managers are in a position to make a difference in this effort.
Information for this article was obtained, in part, through interviews with Farber and Monsen. To find out more, visit the U.S. EPA (www.epa.gov), National Recycling Coalition (www.nrc-recycle.org), PC Recycler (www.pcrecycler.net), International Association of Electronics Recyclers (www.iaer.org), the Rethink Initiative (www.rethink.ebay.com), and the National Safety Council (www.nsc.org).
What e-cycling practices are in place in your facility? E-mail
avazquez@groupc.com.
Back to the
beginning of Keeping E-Waste Out Of The Landfill
