If you are wondering about electronics reuse being good for the planet, it might well be because deep down you already know the answer. But let’s have a look at the facts and see if electronics reuse is good for our planet.
The cost of manufacturing electronics for our planet
Did you know that for any given piece of electronic equipment, it is the manufacturing process that has the biggest impact on environment? In fact 80% of electronics environmental footprint is generated during production. Electronics manufacturing require from 50 to 350 times their weight in raw material.
Since most of the harm to our planet is done during manufacturing, we better make the most of it and extend electronics lifetime for as long as possible.
The life span of electronics
By design most electronic equipments have a long life span. Take photocopiers for instance. According to manufacturers, a medium range copier is capable of printing 2 millions pages before it needs being replaced. But guess what, in Western Europe they are replaced once they reach on average one third of their life span. Why? simply because manufacturers continuously need new revenues to sustain their business. To that end, every 2 or 3 years, they create new models and new way of financing their acquisition which results in machines being replaced 6-7 years before end of life. So this is a no brainer that these equipment must still be used. Recycling would be such a waste. All they require is a short maintenance service before being put on the second-hand market. Electronics Reuse has to be good for the planet.
Electronics reuse and its effect on the environment
By now we know that electronic reuse is the most obvious choice for the planet. Having said that there is still an issue that has not yet been properly dealt with. And if we want to be exhaustive on this subject we have to mention it as it has a potential serious impact on the planet. Most electronics reuse happen outside of the western world in emerging countries.These countries rarely have proper recycling facilities to process unwanted equipment.
Sending unwanted electronics for reuse in Africa and Asia is good for the planet as a whole. Having those electronic equipments 10 years down the line, processed by children on landfills is far from satisfactory.
So yes to electronics reuse but lets all work together to ensure that clean recycling of those electronics happens. And take advantage of an iso14001 certification, to help you manage your business.
