What is E-waste? Why does it impact business sustainability?

Designing products with sustainability and circularity in mind requires manufacturers to start by considering the end point. For instance, designing products for easy upgrading, repairability, and component separability to facilitate recycling.

Collecting and gathering used products or components from consumers to enable refurbishment or recycling.

Circulating refurbished products to new interested consumers, allowing them to be resold at a lower price, thereby expanding access to new user groups.

Business collaborations in terms of resource sharing and material exchange that can be recycled. For instance, Dell repurposing carbon fiber scraps from the aviation and space industries to manufacture their own products.

Creating innovative business models that fit the circular theme, inspiring both producers and consumers. This includes networks for repair and resale beyond conventional platforms like eBay’s O2, ensuring convenience along with a 12-month warranty.

Start by categorizing the various IT assets within your organization, such as computers, servers, networking devices, printers, mobile devices, software licenses, and peripherals. This step helps establish a structured approach to managing inventory.

Conduct a site audit of your organization’s premises to locate and identify all IT assets.

This includes inspecting computer rooms, server racks, storage areas, and individual workstations.

Record the physical locations of each item of assets.

Create an inventory list that comprehensively covers the details relevant to each individual asset.

Consolidate unique asset identifiers (such as serial numbers or asset tags), brand and model, specifications, purchase date, warranty information, designated department/user, and other relevant details that aid in asset management.

Implement a tracking system to monitor the movements and status of IT assets.

This can be achieved through asset management software or a centralized database.

Each asset item should have a unique identifier to avoid duplication, and updates should be made whenever an asset is transferred, decommissioned, or undergoing maintenance.

We conduct periodic checks to ensure the accuracy and completeness of inventory assets.

Verify to ensure that the inventory remains current and aligns with the actual assets present within the organization.

In a certain part of the process, consider the lifecycle of each asset, including acquisition, adaptation, maintenance, upgrades, and retirement.

Plan asset replacement, create budgets, and enhance asset utilization efficiency.

Conduct periodic inspections to verify the accuracy and completeness of inventory assets.

Verify to ensure that inventory items remain current and align with the actual assets present within the organization.

In a certain segment of the process, consider the life cycle of each asset, including acquisition, adaptation, maintenance, upgrades, and end-of-use.

Testing activities related to IT assets involve opening devices and conducting diagnostic tests to ensure that all components and functionalities are operating as intended. The testing process may encompass performance checks, connectivity assessments, storage evaluations, input/output device examinations, and other relevant operations.

Inventory of IT Assets: All IT assets within the organization will be identified, listed, and tracked to determine which assets need to be disposed of.

Data Destruction: Before disposal, all sensitive and confidential data stored on IT assets must be permanently and securely erased. This is typically achieved through data wiping, data erasure, or physical destruction.

Reuse and Refurbishment: IT assets that are still functional and have residual value can be refurbished, repaired, or repurposed for internal use or resale.

Recycling and Disposal: IT assets that cannot be reused or refurbished will undergo recycling. The recycling process involves dismantling the equipment and separating components for proper disposal or recycling to minimize environmental impact and comply with electronic waste regulations.

Documentation and Reporting: Throughout the ITAD process, appropriate documentation is maintained, including certificates of data destruction, recycling, and disposal. This documentation ensures compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.