Dell’s innovative programs drive progress toward company’s goal to take back as much as it produces
Manila, Philippines, December 20, 2022 – Discarded, unused electronics, present one of the fastest-growing global environmental challenges today. According to a Global E-waste Monitor report for 2019, 53.6 million tons of electronics were produced worldwide – that’s the weight of 30 million cars. Less than 20% of that volume of e-waste is recycled each year.
When returned for reuse or recycling, end-of-life electronics contain valuable, reusable components, parts and minerals that can be responsibly harvested for other uses. The carbon footprint of electronics shrinks when components and materials are reused to extend its life. Additionally, for every pound of steel, aluminum, plastic or copper recovered for reuse, a pound of material is saved from being newly manufactured or extracted from the ground.
According to Christopher Quirk, Senior Vice President of Professional, Managed and Consulting Services for Dell Technologies, “End-of-life electronics returned through our Dell Technologies’ recovery and recycling services are given a second chance. We extend their usable life and accelerate the circular economy. In fact, we have recovered more than 2.6 billion pounds of used electronics since 2007.”
To avoid turning end-of-life electronics into e-waste, here is how Dell works to unlock its value:
- Repairability – Dell makes it easy for consumers to repair a device by providing product manuals online, offering services like our Dell AR Assistant, and designing for better repairability. The longer electronics are kept in use, the smaller the carbon footprint.
- Dell provides convenient services to recover and recycle end-of-life technology when the technology no longer meets a user’s needs.
- Once a device is returned, Dell maximizes its reuse potential by taking the following steps:
- Sanitize and secure data
- Refurbish systems that can be resold or donated for continued use
- Harvest all usable parts to extend the lifecycle
- Extract materials – like plastics, magnets and aluminum – to reuse in new Dell products
- Responsibly recycle all other materials
“We understand the value of legacy electronics – both for our commitment to circularity and for the health of the planet. In fact, we have set an ambitious goal to tackle this challenge: by 2030, for every product a customer buys, we will reuse or recycle an equivalent product,” Quirk stated.
Further to Dell’s existing recycling services, the company continues to find innovative new ways to make it easier for people and businesses to return their end-of-life electronics. In the last year, Dell launched pilot programs to raise awareness about the importance of electronics recycling and to drive people to act:
- Dell reached consumers who purchased certain laptop models with an on-package recycling message encouraging them to reuse the box to return their old equipment.
- Dell tested an innovative service that uses delivery lockers in apartment buildings. This campaign encouraged apartment dwellers to deposit unwanted electronics in shipping lockers for recycling.
- Dell joined forces with technology peers to pilot a curbside recycling program for consumers in Denver, Colo.
- And, for business customers of all sizes, Dell modernized its Asset Recovery Services globally – now supporting 36 countries across the world, including the Philippines.
“We are driving innovation to increase the volume of products, of any brand, not just Dell, for refurbishment, reuse and recycling, and customers can help Dell put a dent in e-waste by trading in or recycling their end-of-life device today. We’ll take it all – no matter how small – as we continue to unlock the value in e-waste,” closed Quirk.
Dell established its global recycling services more than 25 years ago and it continues to evolve to keep pace with changing consumer and business demands.
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