Green IT - Re-use Rather Than Recycle

10 Aug 2010

A report released today by Computer Aid International, says that IT managers re-use, rather than recycling unwanted computing equipment.

Computer Aid International is a specialist IT charity and supplier of refurbished computers to developing countries.

In their report released today entitled, 'Why re-use is better than recycling,' the not-for-profit organisation says that re-using computer equipment is a lot better than recycling them, for both environmental purposes and to help those in developing countries.

Computer Aid's environmental advocacy officer Haley Bowcock said, "For IT specifically, the environmental payback for recycling is small, as the vast majority of energy use is expended during the production, rather than the use phase - 80 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

"Adding to this is the fact that most PCs are often replaced by their primary user well before the end of their productive lives, and the impact of energy inefficiency becomes evident. The reality is that the single most environmentally responsible activity for a still-functional PC is to extend its life."

Computer Aid is thus asking all IT managers to maximise the use of IT equipment, either by postponing replacement or passing parts on to secondary users.

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