eWaste is the world’s fastest-growing solid-waste stream, increasing at a rate three times faster than general waste. This has resulted in a change in market sentiment towards refurbished products, a process that extends the usable life of redundant IT equipment and reduces its environmental footprint.
An IT asset management and disposal programme goes well beyond environmental concerns, it must make good business sense as well. It should take a comprehensive approach, from what equipment the organisation purchases to how they dispose of redundant assets. The best way to promote a reuse culture is to incentivise IT asset disposition programmes. After all, it also makes financial sense. Studies show that extending a technology refresh by one year could save a company in the region of 5% of its annual revenue.