Perhaps the best way to understand and recognise the environmental sustainability benefits of computer recycling is to consider what happens when businesses do not recycle their devices but rather discard and replace them with no regard for CSR goals and sustainable objectives.
Recycling and reusing devices also enables devices that have been recycled via specific charitable initiatives to be refurbished and donated to communities without access to technology, both locally and overseas. Recycling computers means that they are redirected away from landfills and launched into second lives via renewed usage – meaning that the environment is safe from the direct harm caused by devices which break down in landfills.
Do you have computers that you could donate?
There are all sorts of reasons why companies reach out to us to donate computers and pass over devices and technology accessories that they no longer use. One of the most common reasons is that they want to bolster their CSR goals as a company, with computer recycling a well-known and often talked about way of meeting environmental objectives, boosting charitable activity, and protecting business and personal information.
If you have computers in storage that are no longer used by your team, donating them enables them to become a lifeline to communities without access to technology – and with the festive season upon us, this takes on a whole new meaning for many of our partners.
If Covid-19 showed us anything, it’s that the ability to connect and access resources online is crucial – but for those without access to any technology, even this simple 21st-century need is unattainable. Donating computers means that charity partners can identify and pass devices on to those communities that can use and make the most of the opportunity – turning your laptop or desktop into a transformational asset for others.
How does computer recycling benefit the environment?
Firstly, donating computers breathes new life into devices which have undergone the extensive manufacturing process and ensures that if the device is still in good working order, it is not wasted. Even devices that cannot be effectively refurbished and reused can be stripped for their parts and used as a series of working components, used to fix other devices that have been donated. In short, the first environmental argument for computer recycling acknowledges the intense manufacturing process and the carbon emissions that are produced as a result of that process and introduces a way to maximise the way the device is subsequently used.
The second answer to this question focuses on what happens to computers that are not recycled and that are therefore sent to landfills. A technology device which is sent to a landfill will not break down efficiently but rather disintegrate over time so that the components and substances leak into the surrounding ground over time. This causes incredible damage to the environment, to habitats, and to ecosystems – with hazardous chemicals even making their way into waterways and entering the food chain.
When computers are recycled, they are either refurbished for donation or broken down and disposed of safely and sustainably – avoiding landfill completely and maximising the lifespan of the device.
Make Computer Aid your new business partner before the end of the year
There has never been a better time to clear out your office of devices and embrace the giving spirit of Christmas. Take the time to get in touch with Computer Aid now and transform the computers you no longer need or use into a tangible and transformational donation to those without access to technology, while also directly serving your business's CSR and environmental goals.
For more information, you can chat with our friendly team directly.