Why recycle
The major problems facing our environment today, relating to IT equipment, revolve around the production, use and disposal of this developing product stream. A study by the United Nations University revealed that energy used in the production of a typical desktop computer is the equivalent to burning 260kg of fossil fuels. Over a typical life of a PC, that means 80% of all the energy used will have been consumed during manufacturing. These problems won't go away, but with careful consideration, we can work towards a sustainable future.
Two major EU directives have set out to combat the problems surrounding the manufacture and disposal of all electrical and electronic equipment, the first being RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive). This limits the levels of chemicals, such as lead and mercury, within the production of IT equipment and other electrical and electronic products.
ReBOOT is registered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) and holds a Waste Transport Licence and Exemptions for Activity Schedule 3, Paragraph 47 (for " Repair and/or Refurbishment of WEEE") and Paragraph 48 (for "The Storage of WEEE pending recovery elsewhere").
How we recycle
Book all hardware into our bespoke database.
Remove all identifiable stickers and asset tags.
Remove and sanitise / destroy HDDs.
Assess for re-use.
End life hardware is stripped and separated.
Recycled in an environmentally friendly manner if the item cannot be reused.
Audit paperwork actioned.
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment - Link to website
See extract below from WEEE web page:
"The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) was introduced in January 2007.
The WEEE Directive aims to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic equipment being produced and to encourage everyone to reuse, recycle and recover it.
The WEEE Directive also aims to improve the environmental performance of businesses that manufacture, supply, use, recycle and recover electrical and electronic equipment.
If you are an importer, rebrander or manufacturer of new electrical or electronic equipment, then it's likely that you'll need to comply with the UK's WEEE Regulations, which in part implement the WEEE Directive. If you do need to comply, then you must register on a producer compliance scheme.
You may also have obligations under the WEEE Regulations if you are a business with electrical or electronic equipment to dispose of, or if you sell electrical or electronic equipment.
Our role is to provide information and advice on complying with the WEEE Regulations to producers of Electrical or Electronic Equipment (EEE) and the waste management industry."
SEPA
Scottish Environment Protection Agency - Link to website
ReBOOT is registered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as an Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF).
See extract below from SEPA website:
"The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland's environmental regulator. Our main role is to protect and improve the environment. We do this by being an excellent environmental regulator, helping business and industry to understand their environmental responsibilities, enabling customers to comply with legislation and good practice and to realise the many economic benefits of good environmental practice. We protect communities by regulating activities that can cause harmful pollution and by monitoring the quality of Scotland's air, land and water. The regulations we implement also cover the keeping and use, and the accumulation and disposal, of radioactive substances.
SEPA protects and improves the environment in a number of ways. This includes helping customers to understand and comply with environmental regulations and to realise the many economic benefits of good environmental practice. This approach benefits the environment and the economy, and means we can focus our resources (including our enforcement powers) on tackling the greatest environmental threats. We also provide expert advice on the Scottish environment and deliver a wide range of information, guidance and public information services".