E-Waste & Caring for the environment
Bridge IT is dedicated to reducing the impact E-waste and associated materials have on the environment.
There are many ways to help the environment and we discuss some of our practices below. These include things like using energy efficient products, partnering with companies that care for the environment, keeping devices running at their best to reduce power consumption and increase their lifespan, recycling devices through local recycling programs as well as partnering with companies that refurbish devices.
How Managed IT Services & Extending warranty helps the environment
The best way we know how to reduce e-waste & protect the environment is to keep your devices running at their best using our Managed IT Services & by extending your warranty.
Our Managed IT Services is aimed at keeping your devices running at their best. Devices that run smoothly use less power and last longer. Simple as that.
Replacing a broken part is much better for the environment and your pocket than replacing a whole computer. We prefer to use HP business systems that come with 3 year, next business day, onsite warranty. That means a HP tech will be on your doorstep to fix any hardware issue that may pop up. We can also extend this warranty for additional years.
Partnering with HP & using products with ENERGY STAR ratings.
We have always preferred partnering with companies like HP who have amazing environmental standards. HP have achieved zero deforestation associated with HP brand paper and paper based product packaging. They also have programs such as the HP Amplify Impact program to generate meaningful impact on Climate Action, Human Rights and Digital Equity.
Each year HP aim to reduce the required power consumption on their products. Most computers & printers released are ENERGY STAR rated & certified to be energy efficient. These models can use 25% – 40% less power than conventional models by using the most efficient components and better managing energy use when in use and idle. This lowers operating expenses & reduces your carbon footprint through reduced power consumption.
Using Recycled & Refurbished Products
Bridge IT partners with global companies to buy and sell used computers and servers.
Buying refurbished servers are an excellent way to save money and save the environment.
If you have computer & servers in working order, our partners can offer a small payment to take and recycle your e-waste if suitable. They also ensure that 100% of your data is deleted and provide full certification to support the data erasure of each device.
E-waste Recycling & general recycling
When e-waste ends up in landfills, it can release harmful toxins into the environment. These toxins can contaminate soil and water, and potentially damage the health of both people and animals.
E-waste contains precious resources including gold, steel, copper, zinc, aluminium, platinum, glass, plastic and brass which can be recovered & recycled into new items. When recycled properly, over 90% of e-waste components can be recovered. E-waste recycling also ensures that hazardous substances such as mercury and lead from your electronic devices are disposed of correctly.
Bridge IT is happy to take away your old devices and product packaging when it’s time to upgrade. We regularly have trips to the Chandler Resource Recovery Centre for all e-waste and packaging recycling.
More Info on E-Waste Recycling
What happens when E-waste is Recycled
E-waste recycling facilities use a variety of methods to process electronic waste.
The E-waste is sorted, shredded or crushed into small pieces. This helps to make it easier to handle and process.
The next step is to separate the metals from the non-metals using a magnet. The metals are then further separated using a eddy current separator.
The next step is to remove any remaining glass, plastic or other non-metallic materials. This is typically done using a wind sifter or manually.
The final step is to smelt the metals to extract the precious metals. These metals can then be sold for profit or used in new products.
How to securely remove data before disposing of e-waste.
It is important to ensure that all personal data is securely removed from electronic devices before they are disposed of. This can be done by using data destruction software, a paid hard drive destruction service or physically shattering the hard drive platters.
As mentioned above, we have partners that can assist with data destruction and can provide certifications for legal requirements.