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Putting more thought into e-waste

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It's possible for businesses to save money, help the environment and support their local community at the same time, says Dr Alison Stowell, senior lecturer in business and management at Anglia Ruskin University. 

In 2012, the UK discarded 1.37million tonnes of electronics waste (e-waste), typically computers, mobile phones and monitors, which is the equivalent of 21kg of e-waste per person.

Some e-waste contains hazardous substances, for example computers typically contain between 700-1000 chemicals and metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and phosphorous.  Exposure to these substances could cause health risks and create environmental damage.

The disposal of IT equipment in a responsible manner is of paramount importance as it holds confidential data, can be a hazardous product if not handled in the correct way, and businesses have a legal obligation through the UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulation.

 

Through my research of e-Waste over the past five years, it is clear that by putting more thought into this area, businesses could save themselves money, provide reassurance about data security, ensure legislative compliance and contribute to environmentally-friendly practices.

 

Firstly, businesses should carefully consider whether they actually need to replace all their equipment.  Studies show that, on average, we only use 10% of a computer's functionality.  The average life span for a computer is between five and eight years and up to 10 years for some mobile phones, and yet there is a tendency to upgrade every couple of years.

 

If businesses spent time considering whether they particular member of staff requires an upgrade and, if they do, can their machine be used elsewhere in the organisation could avoid unnecessary purchasing.

Some IT equipment is unsuitable for reuse because of its age.  Because of the rate of technological innovation, equipment can become dated and software unsupported.  Social enterprises such as MillRace It Ltd, based in Witham, help to redistribute computers and IT equipment to those in need, but instead would have to dispose of the equipment if it had become obsolete.  The best way is to ask instead of assuming. 

If your equipment is dated then there are alternative choices that could still support your local community, and wasteonline (http://www.wasteonline.org/) will be able to suggest suitable organisations in your area.

So, having decided to dispose of IT equipment, there is then the question of data security, which is a concern for all businesses and individuals due to the large amount of confidential and personal details stored on computers.  A number of companies, including Braintree-based RDC, specialise in IT asset and recycling services, and offer "data wiping" solutions.

The confidentiality of the information stored on the computer will dictate how thoroughly this needs to be carried out.  Some organisations offer on-site data wiping services, which allow you to witness the data destruction for extra peace of mind.

The EU's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, transposed into UK law in 2006, was introduced to help manage the problem of e-waste.  However, compliance with legislation is often a complex affair, as businesses are required to meet the disposal costs, ensure compliance and share responsiblity for where the equipment eventually ends up.  To tighten mechanisms of control further, the EU WEEE Directive was recaste in 2012; and changes to the UK Regulation came into force on January 1, 2014.

Whether it's 1 or 1,000 machines being discarded, it is important for businesses to understand their accountability.  Companies that offer IT reuse, recycling and asset recovery services should advertise legal compliance as part of their offering.

It is also important to know where the equipment will end up.  For example, if a mobile phone is being recycled, where does the dismantling and recycling take place? If a computer is being shipped overseas for a charitable project, what happens to it once it is too old?

Asking these questions can ensure that e-waste is no needlessly exported overseas, reducing the environmental impact of transportation and also reducing the amount of potentially hazardous e-waste being "dumped" in developing countries.  According to the European Environment Agency, up to 1.3 million tonnes of e-waste is shipped out of the EU each year much of it destiend for Asia and West Africa.

The final question businesses should consider is whether any money can be recouped by reselling or recycling the equipment.  After all, the initial outlay of office equipment can be considerable.

Even if the equipment cannot be reused, it might be possible to extract and sell valuable components. Asset recovery services typically offer affordable solutions where they assess equipment and identify the best means of recovering financial value, while at the same time offering a legally compliant service. The revenue generated can be returned and reinvested in the business.

The United Nations predicts that the amount of e-waste generated worldwide will increase by 33% over the next four years.  Therefore asking these simple questions can save money, support local enterprises and not-for-profit organisations and cut down on the amount of e-waste needlessly shipped around the world, which can help to tackle this growing problem. 

Period7/01/2014

It's possible for businesses to save money, help the environment and support their local community at the same time, says Dr Alison Stowell, senior lecturer in business and management at Anglia Ruskin University. 

In 2012, the UK discarded 1.37million tonnes of electronics waste (e-waste), typically computers, mobile phones and monitors, which is the equivalent of 21kg of e-waste per person.

Some e-waste contains hazardous substances, for example computers typically contain between 700-1000 chemicals and metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and phosphorous.  Exposure to these substances could cause health risks and create environmental damage.

The disposal of IT equipment in a responsible manner is of paramount importance as it holds confidential data, can be a hazardous product if not handled in the correct way, and businesses have a legal obligation through the UK Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulation.

 

Through my research of e-Waste over the past five years, it is clear that by putting more thought into this area, businesses could save themselves money, provide reassurance about data security, ensure legislative compliance and contribute to environmentally-friendly practices.

 

Firstly, businesses should carefully consider whether they actually need to replace all their equipment.  Studies show that, on average, we only use 10% of a computer's functionality.  The average life span for a computer is between five and eight years and up to 10 years for some mobile phones, and yet there is a tendency to upgrade every couple of years.

 

If businesses spent time considering whether they particular member of staff requires an upgrade and, if they do, can their machine be used elsewhere in the organisation could avoid unnecessary purchasing.

Some IT equipment is unsuitable for reuse because of its age.  Because of the rate of technological innovation, equipment can become dated and software unsupported.  Social enterprises such as MillRace It Ltd, based in Witham, help to redistribute computers and IT equipment to those in need, but instead would have to dispose of the equipment if it had become obsolete.  The best way is to ask instead of assuming. 

If your equipment is dated then there are alternative choices that could still support your local community, and wasteonline (http://www.wasteonline.org/) will be able to suggest suitable organisations in your area.

So, having decided to dispose of IT equipment, there is then the question of data security, which is a concern for all businesses and individuals due to the large amount of confidential and personal details stored on computers.  A number of companies, including Braintree-based RDC, specialise in IT asset and recycling services, and offer "data wiping" solutions.

The confidentiality of the information stored on the computer will dictate how thoroughly this needs to be carried out.  Some organisations offer on-site data wiping services, which allow you to witness the data destruction for extra peace of mind.

The EU's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, transposed into UK law in 2006, was introduced to help manage the problem of e-waste.  However, compliance with legislation is often a complex affair, as businesses are required to meet the disposal costs, ensure compliance and share responsiblity for where the equipment eventually ends up.  To tighten mechanisms of control further, the EU WEEE Directive was recaste in 2012; and changes to the UK Regulation came into force on January 1, 2014.

Whether it's 1 or 1,000 machines being discarded, it is important for businesses to understand their accountability.  Companies that offer IT reuse, recycling and asset recovery services should advertise legal compliance as part of their offering.

It is also important to know where the equipment will end up.  For example, if a mobile phone is being recycled, where does the dismantling and recycling take place? If a computer is being shipped overseas for a charitable project, what happens to it once it is too old?

Asking these questions can ensure that e-waste is no needlessly exported overseas, reducing the environmental impact of transportation and also reducing the amount of potentially hazardous e-waste being "dumped" in developing countries.  According to the European Environment Agency, up to 1.3 million tonnes of e-waste is shipped out of the EU each year much of it destiend for Asia and West Africa.

The final question businesses should consider is whether any money can be recouped by reselling or recycling the equipment.  After all, the initial outlay of office equipment can be considerable.

Even if the equipment cannot be reused, it might be possible to extract and sell valuable components. Asset recovery services typically offer affordable solutions where they assess equipment and identify the best means of recovering financial value, while at the same time offering a legally compliant service. The revenue generated can be returned and reinvested in the business.

The United Nations predicts that the amount of e-waste generated worldwide will increase by 33% over the next four years.  Therefore asking these simple questions can save money, support local enterprises and not-for-profit organisations and cut down on the amount of e-waste needlessly shipped around the world, which can help to tackle this growing problem. 

References

TitlePutting more thought into e-waste
Media name/outletEast Anglia Daily Times (Essex) (Business East)
Duration/Length/SizeUnited Kingdom
Date7/01/14
Producer/AuthorAlison Stowell
PersonsAlison Stowell