By Anil Mathews (ScrapMonster
Author)
November 20, 2015 01:49:15 AM
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): The panelists at the 2015 Electronics Recycling Asia event held recently in Singapore conveyed that computer and telecom original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have increased their recycled content significantly during recent times. This was mainly achieved by extended EPR laws and increased sustainability efforts by corporate firms.
US-based computer manufacturer Dell intends to create a legacy of good through its ‘2020 Legacy of Good Plan’. The long term sustainability plan of the company focuses on three areas-Environment, Communities and People. Recycling and use of recycled content is the key part of the plan, it said. It intends to use at least 50 million pounds of recovered plastics by 2020.
According to the company, the recycled plastics content in all the products shipped worldwide amounts to over 4 million pounds. Also, 35% of all plastics used in these products are post-consumer recycled material. The company has made use of 4 million pounds of recycled plastics resins so far, which it plans to increase to 15 million pounds by 2020.
Dell’s free take-back programme is already introduced in as many as 78 countries all over the world. As per estimates, nearly 560m kilos of e-waste are recycled through this initiative. In 2014 alone, Dell sourced 4.5m kilos of recycled plastic which were later used in building monitors and desktops. In its efforts to promote e-waste recycling among communities in developing countries, Dell has entered into partnership with United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
Meantime, Samsung Electronics has recently opened an outlet in the UK to sell refurbished company products. The company intends to work with channel partners to significantly increase the recycled content in their products over the next eight years.
Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) has its own Recycling Innovation Center that is engaged comprehensively in efforts to boost recycling involvement. The company has successfully rolled out over 1.3 billion printer cartridges and toners made out of recycled materials.
Electronics Recycling Asia 2015 was held at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore Nov. 10-13.