Rethinking required: used hardware is so valuable

Scrap-ripe laptop and computer circuit boards
The importance of IT hardware growsIm year 2020 arose around 7 computers per second worldwide, in comparison wurden however, only 4 people are born per second. Social awareness of problematic production and disposal is growing dagegen only slowly. Especially public facilities  and Authorities act in dealings with Hardware not mindful and environmentally friendly enough. The advancing digitization increases in free sugar intake  the IT-Dependence on Companiesthereby making the production of new devicesn will continue to grow. For this reason are the ecological and social consequences that come with the The Brand and the use of IT devices are a social problem and hold everyone accountable. Considered Mon alone only dealing with company hardware and data you can see that the importance of a sustainable strategy is underestimated. In addition to the potential to improve one's own CSR strategy, a sustainable one offers Dealing with Computer, PC and Co., tremendous socialecological but also economic Advantages of which Companies  and the whole of society benefit equally 

Critically question processes 

The Key questionn, which Company have to ask, are: “Where does our hardware come from? "  and "INhat happens after retirement?" The product life cycles of IT devices are constantly being shortenedIm Video editing Companies exchange their hardware after 3-5 years and replace them with new devices. Old devices are shut down and handed over to waste disposal companies. This The concept is simple and straightforward for companies, but anything but sustainableThe decommissioning and disposal of equipment to  short life cycle, is a waste of raw materialsBecause dhe raw material requirements of the Production is immense even if the devices are getting smaller and more compact. The extraction neededter raw materials geschieht today still under questionable Circumstances such as child and forced labor as well as negative consequences on Environment and climate. Many Firmn do not see themselves as responsible here, but refer to the renownedn IT manufacturer. However, everyone, manufacturers and Userthe material moisture meter shows you the  alln circulation critically question a product.  

Appreciate resources 

For the production a single computer can have up to 700 different Fabrics thats it! einziger Computer devours 19 tons Raw materials. N1.500 liters of water, 22 kilogram Dryn Fabricsn 240 kilogram fossiln fuelsn will precious and heavy metals are also required. The IT manufacturing led in regions already have negative effects on the supply of agriculture, people and the environment.  

Sadder Record: global e-waste mountain higher than ever 

Copper, tin, gold, coltan ore and many other metals and resources from around the world adorn millions of jobs. In view of the labor, energy and raw materials used in production and worldwide transport, the useful life is disproportionately short.  

NNot only the production, but also the disposal of IT pollutes people and the environment. According to the UN, there are around 2019 million tons of electronic waste in 53,6 accruedEin growth from 21 percent in only five Years. A sad record. The UN's forecast for 2030 is terrifying: 74 million tons. Nonly about 17,4% of e-waste wurden collected and recycled. The rest is incinerated, disposed of in landfills or shipped to the poorest countries. The total material value of e-wastebresult 2019 leaven can be stored in your fridge  according to the UN report, estimated at $ 57 billion. One of the main reasons for the growing mountain is the increasing use of IT hardware.  

Disposal problem and legal situation 

Toxic heavy metals such as lead and mercury from flat screens, carcinogenic flame retardants from circuit boards, plastic housings or PVC cable sheaths endanger people and the ecosystem. A rethink im Handling electronic waste it is urgent necessary. With the entry into force of the “Law on the Bringing, Taking Back and Environmentally Compatible Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment” into force, Germany sets two EUDirectives into national law. One pursues the goal of fundamentally avoiding e-waste, the other prohibits the use of certain hazardous substances in production. Discarded Hardware can  or on the Waste disposal center or sold to special disposal companies. From here ends for Companies the traceability. But does the responsibility really end here?  

The sustainable way 

Companies have no direct influence on the manufacturing process of high-tech products, however, they are, when it comes to usage and the subsequent decommissioning goesnot to make the ecological and social burdens of your devices even more difficult.  

 Concrete improvements in IT management can be achieved by using the devices for a longer period of time. In the second step, hardware that no longer fully meets the requirements can be usedfor special ITRefurbishers be processed to the useful life in the company again extend. By an comprehensive IT lifecycle Those responsible know the requirements of employees  and their tools. In the management level is not spared in terms of technical equipment. Therefore would be a Another possibility of rotating devices within the company. Will the Management new equipped, are theirs Systems still efficient enough, um in other departments to be used 

Instead of disposal, i.e. recycling, is the most sustainable way of dealing with IT hardware, selling it to IT remarketing specialists. This  Service providerlike bb-net media GmbH from Schweinfurt, are experts in the purchase of used hardware, data deletion according to certified standards, the preparation of devices and their return to the market. From an economic point of view, there are only winners here. By selling to professionals, high residual values ​​are achieved instead of expenses for their disposal. 

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