Eaga sends PCs to Africa

Reusing computers in African schools can provide more benefit than recycling

Energy efficiency advisory group Eaga is sending its old IT equipment for reuse in developing countries in Africa rather than shipping it to the recycling plant.

The EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive that came into force in the UK in July requires firms to dispose of electronic goods responsibly.

But experts have criticised WEEE for emphasising recycling only. And United Nations (UN) research says passing on a PC for someone else to use is 20 times more effective at saving lifecycle energy.

Sending equipment overseas makes more sense for everybody, said Eaga organisational development director Dave Routledge.

‘The need for modern computers and IT equipment is huge, and there is a growing environmental responsibility for all of us to reuse wherever possible,’ said Routledge.

Eaga will be dispatching hundreds of laptops, monitors and PCs via charity Computer Aid International in the coming months.

One of the benefits is that it provides a tracking service that tells the company which projects are benefiting from its equipment, said Routledge.

Firms sending outdated equipment to other countries must be sure to look for guarantees that the hardware is not simply sold on for scrap.

Ruediger Kuehr, head of the UN initiative to tackle global e-waste, told Computing earlier this year that many schemes are not reliable.

‘A lot of products are categorised for reuse and end up being improperly recycled in the developing world,’ he said.

Technology hardware remains a serious environmental issue, despite the growing emphasis on green IT and the introduction of legislation such as WEEE.

Part of the problem is that the law still does not encourage equipment makers to think about the sustainability of the products or their manufacturing processes, according to think tank the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR).

‘The WEEE directive has not reduced the total volume of waste,’ said IPPR researcher Julie Hill, author of the influential A Zero Waste UK report.

But the number of firms aware of the issue is rising. And since 1997 Computer Aid has shipped in excess of 90,000 PCs to more than 100 developing countries.