E-waste is a serious problem. Planet Earth is already plagued with problems of global warming and climate change. And E-waste is only aggravating these problems. So what are some of the big laptop companies doing to control e-waste and manage them?
There are plenty of big manufacturers such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, HCL that manufacture laptops, desktops, and other related electronic items. But only a few, environment conscious companies seem to be having good e-waste management policies.
What are the big companies doing for e-waste management?
E-waste management is the way forward to safeguard the interests of people and the environment. Some of the best laptop manufacturers such as Lenovo, LG, HP, and Toshiba are actively engaged in e-waste management. For instance, Lenovo partnered with the Climate Group in a program that offers incentives to customers if they reduce their energy consumption. There are some other companies doing the same thing. The vision for these companies is to reduce their carbon dioxide emission by more than 10% annually.
Manufacturing units of laptop manufacturers are being built to conserve energy. Called the green energy conservation mechanism, this process is an evolutionary technique. Green techniques, materials, and products are used to build new manufacturing units. Ultimately, the goal is to conserve energy and reduce carbon dioxide emission.
Partnership with recyclers
While some companies have started their own recycling centers to manage their e-waste, some have partnered with e-recyclers. For instance, Lenovo and ECO International are engaged in an e-waste management partnership. ECO International is a well-known recycler. Under this partnership ECO International recycles Lenovo products for free. This is a classic example of how a manufacturer is helping manage e-waste professionally.
Some other companies such as LG are doing their bit. LG and Waste Management have started recycling centers. These centers accept electronic items. Some companies such as Toshiba for instance have started their own recycling unit. This proves that laptop manufacturers are taking e-waste management seriously. All this augurs well for the future. It would not be a surprise if all manufacturers of electronic items start their own recycling centers. But the onus is to recycle e-waste and not let it biodegrade.
Take back programs
Companies such as Apple, Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Fujitsu have take-back programs. For instance, Lenovo’s take back program lets consumers relinquish their Lenovo laptops to have it recycled free of cost. This program is applicable for select IBM products too. The take back program ensures that consumers and small businesses don’t need to deal with managing e-waste on their own. They can simply invoke Lenovo’s free services.
Consumers and small businesses can also mail Lenovo products and some IBM products to Lenovo. Shipping is free of cost. Called the AERCCR program, consumers are requested to comply with certain packaging and weight criteria. Details of this are available on the Lenovo website. Consumers register the products they want to ship to Lenovo on the Lenovo website. Consumers then download a soft copy of a mailing label which is prepaid by Lenovo. The prepaid mailing label is accepted by two entities. They are namely the US Post Office or UPS.
Apple has a free recycling policy. Apple takes back all its electronic items. The company also does free recycling of cell phones from any manufacturer. Dell on the other hand recycles Dell-branded products. The company does free recycling of electronic items when a consumer buys a Dell PC.
HP has a good online take back program. Their online service lets consumers know how much money they can expect when recycling their electronic items. Toshiba recycles its products for free, and recycling of electronic items from other manufacturers requires consumers to bear the shipping expenses.
Conclusion
Laptop manufacturers have partnered with retail stores such as Best Buy, Staples, and Circuit City to help setup an e-waste management policy. Consumers exchange their electronic items to gain score credit. There is a lot being done now more than before in the area of e-waste management.
Awesome info. If only every OEM gave a thought for e-waste management, our earth would be a much better place to live (sic)!