The Green Perspective

Due to technological developments taking place at a continuously increasing rate, e-equipment ages faster than ever. As a result, a vast number of electronic devices end up as waste every day, causing serious environmental problems.

Close the Gap became increasingly aware that the organisation had to take responsibility and play a part in fighting this crisis.

Close the Gap highly values the three R’s of e-waste management: Reduce – Reuse – Recycle. For its projects, the organisation wants to ensure that end-of-life equipment is handled in an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective manner.

1.    Resource Conservation

Before starting the recycling process it is important to lengthen the lifespan of e-IT equipment. Close the Gap always promoted affordable and environmentally-responsible reuse of used computers to support technologically disadvantaged communities in the developing world. By making high-quality and professionally refurbished IT-equipment available at cost-efficient prices, Close the Gap already lengthens the lifespan of e-equipment. At the same time, it enables businesses to deal with their obsolete electronics in an environmentally-responsible and economically-effective fashion.

2.    Environmental Compliance: the three R’s of e-waste management: Reduce – Reuse – Recycle

Extending the lifespan of IT-equipment however does not automatically imply that this equipment will be properly recycled afterwards. The recycling and disposal of this “e-waste” still causes significant problems. Most of these products contain various hazardous chemicals and materials (including heavy metals such as lead and cadmium). These harmful materials pose a real threat to human health and environment. As a consequence, dumping e-waste is severely damaging entire communities by polluting water sources and causing poisoning, miscarriage, mental retardation and even death.

The WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive of the European Union and the Basel Convention has dealt with these concerns. The WEEE directive aims to restrict hazardous components in EEE (Electrical and Electronic Equipment) and to diminish the e-waste stream by compelling producers to take back and recycle electrical and electronic equipment. Besides this, the directive also heavily regulates the movement of e-waste for recycling and bans its export for disposal outside of the EU. These regulations encourage refurbishment and re-use of IT equipment, as this means that less hazardous equipment must be produced. Hence, properly functioning equipment is exempt from the WEEE directive concerning transport, enabling people in developing countries to bring about a true change to their lives.

The Basle Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal is an international treaty that is designed to control and minimise the movements of hazardous waste between nations and to prevent the transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries.

Close the Gap and its logistic partner Flection International B.V. fully comply with these directives.

2.1. REDUCE AND REUSE

As mentioned before, IT equipment ages quickly. However, this does not necessarily mean that the hardware is “old”. A computer does not need to have the very latest specifications to still be useful. By donating this equipment to Close the Gap instead of recycling it immediately, companies can contribute to lengthening the lifespan of e-equipment. A longer lifespan means re-use; re-use means less production of new consumption goods, which means less use of scarce resources and also less waste.

In short, the following measures and controls are in place:

• Close the Gap collects and processes IT donations from its donors and adheres to specific and clearly defined criteria to evaluate whether a computer is just “old” or really worn-out. After collection, the “old” equipment is refurbished by Flection (Close the Gap’s refurbishing and logistical partner);
• The refurbishing partner of Close the Gap has all required permits and audit controls to support, to prevent and to facilitate e-waste minimisation.

Flection is also an active member of the StEP Initiative (Stop the E-waste Problem), which has the following prime objectives:

• Optimising the life cycle of electrical equipment by improving supply chains, closing material loops, reducing contamination;
• Increasing utilisation of resources and reuse of equipment;
• Exercising concerns about disparities such as the digital divide between the industrialising and industrialised countries.

2.2. RECYCLE

If equipment fails tests and is not suitable for re-use, the product will be disassembled and materials and waste disposals are handed over to European approved downstream recyclers. This whole process is in compliance with current environmental standards and legislation, such as the WEEE directive and the Basle Convention.

This way, Close the Gap and Flection implement a 0% landfill policy and will never ship malfunctioning equipment or hazardous waste to their projects.

3.    End-of 2nd life management

Once equipment reaches the end of its second life cycle in the developing countries, it is important to arrange recycling and safe disposal of the equipment. While fully-operational appliances do not pose any danger to the user, the recycling of discarded equipment can bring severe health and environmental hazards in case the right health and safety measures have not been installed. Most e-waste dismantling and recycling in developing countries is done informally and there is little or no national regulation in place to safeguard the health of those who dismantle the electronic equipment. Of all related environmental impacts, the most noticeable are the dangers posed by e-waste and the many toxic components it contains.

In the last couple of years, various studies – lead by different entities – were carried out and many initiatives were developed. It is, however, also true that in developing countries there is still a great need for even modest projects that aim to set up dismantling and recycling plants, as well as vocational training centres for hardware maintenance, refurbishment and recycling.

For more information on Close the Gap’s e-Waste initiatives please visit : www.worldpc.org