With e-waste in Australia growing at a faster rate than other types of waste, it’s important that we all do our bit to recycle old computers.
As big users of technology, businesses are major creators of e-waste, and there are both moral and economic reasons as to why organisations need to have clear and effective policies when it comes to recycling e-waste.
On the one hand, e-waste represents a major risk to the environment. On the other, it’s a source of valuable materials.
And while the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme provides small businesses with access to industry-funded recycling services, larger businesses need to make their own e-waste recycling arrangements.
Businesses tend to generate e-waste in either a trickle or a flood. There’s always a trickle as individual computers, printers, modems and related items fail.
The flood comes when there’s a major IT upgrade and dozens or hundreds of old computers all get the chop in one go.
Collection solutions
In some ways the trickle is the bigger nuisance to deal with. Equipment turns up in dribs and drabs, and especially with small items such as mice or keyboards there’s always the temptation to just drop them in the general waste.
A better idea is to set aside some space in a storeroom where items can be assembled until it’s worthwhile organising a pickup.
To make this even neater and easier, Ecocycle can supply a collection bin of the appropriate size for your business. When it’s full, just call us and we will arrange to collect it.
If your business is about to unleash a flood of e-waste, make it a condition of the contract that your IT suppliers recycle old computers and other items.
We can work with your contractors to collect all your old equipment at an agreed time to minimise mess and disruption to your operations.
We can also provide recycling certificates to document compliance with company recycling policies.
Bonus data protection
Some recyclers of e-waste in Australia refurbish old corporate computers and sell them overseas.
Extending their life may sound like a good idea from an environmental point of view, but all too often these computers just end up as toxic waste contaminating the waterways of developing countries that don’t have regulated recycling industries.
There’s also the chance that data can be recovered from these computers.
One of the first steps we take in recycling your old computers is to physically destroy the hard disks. This ensures your data is protected. We then separate all the different components and see that they are truly recycled and fed back into the manufacture of new products.
Be part of the change
Australia’s rate of e-waste recycling is still pretty pathetic, but your business can help change that.
Whether you’re dealing with a trickle or a flood of e-waste, give us a call on 1300 32 62 92 or fill out the form below, and we’ll help you work out the simplest solution for dealing with your e-waste.
