When your IT equipment is getting an upgrade, it makes sense to recycle your old hardware, if at all possible, rather than just send it to a landfill. The positive effect this has on the environment goes way beyond the financial cost benefits.
Other people can benefit from items that are no longer needed, at a fraction of the cost they would pay for new equipment. It is much more sustainable for everybody concerned and reduces the amount of new hardware that is being produced, as well as old items being just discarded.
Why recycle?
Most electrical equipment contains toxic chemicals that can be released if the items are not disposed of carefully or sent to a landfill. But, if these items can be recycled, then the toxins will not be polluting the atmosphere or the waterways.
Manufacturing new components can also be harmful to the planet, so reducing this need by recycling IT equipment has long-term benefits for everyone. As an example, in a standard PC, there are only around 2% of its components that cannot be recycled in some way or another.
Even if we are not able to fully recycle your equipment, when we send items for incineration we are mindful of pollution and use a plant that produces renewable energy.
How does IT equipment get recycled?
This is dependent on whether the item is already in good working order. If it is, it may just need a clean to refurbish it to tip-top condition. Or, if it is only good for parts, then it will be stripped down to its bare bones and each component will be salvaged separately and used to build other devices. It may be that your one item will be used to create half a dozen other computers, saving resources and money for all parties.
Be aware that, as standard, we ensure that all data is destroyed and there are no security risk comebacks for you or ourselves. By doing this as part of our overall process, you don’t need to pay specialists to remove sensitive information before we collect your items. We are fully GDPR compliant and can even enable access to any historic documentation you don’t want to keep.
What are the costs involved?
If you have more than 15 i3 processor PCs or laptops, we will even collect your items for free. We will do everything we can to ensure we collect on a time and date that suits you, often within 24 hours if required, meaning your business can carry on as normal, with no downtime.
For items that you would rather be repaired instead of disposed of, we are more than happy to provide a no-obligation quote. We’ll even come to your site free of charge to inspect the equipment and the logistics of removal, before you make any decisions.
Final thoughts
Recycling IT equipment is far more cost effective than producing new items and sending the old components to landfill. More often than not, hardware can be recycled and put into replacement equipment, which can then be used again and again, meaning it is win-win all round.