US multinational computer technology giant Dell is the world’s largest technology recycler with take-back programs in 78 countries.
The company has claimed the status in a report for FY2014–15 detailing the “significant progress the company has made” in its 2010 Legacy of Good Plan and in meeting 21 goals it set in support of the environment, communities and Dell team members.
In the report, Dell’s vice president of corporate responsibility Trisa Thompson reiterated the company’s commitment “to this ongoing work … to both create and inspire positive change in business practices”.
Dell stated that it recovered 1.42 billion pounds of used electronics since FY 2008 and 0.17 billion pounds in FY15 alone. The company is targeting 2 billion pounds for recycling by 2020.
According to the company, it has used 21.9 million pounds of recycled plastics in its products since FY2013-14. In 2014, it shipped OptiPlex 3030 All-in-One, its first UL Environment-certified closed-loop PC on the market.
The move was in collaboration with environmental partner Wistron GreenTech, a subsidiary of Taiwan-based Wistron Corp.
Companies such as cleaning products producer Method and outdoor apparel company Patagonia have been leading the charge in recycling of products.
Dell has also been investing in environment friendly packaging technology since 2009. The company has stated that it has avoided more than 31 million pounds of packaging and saved more than $53 million by reducing materials.
New palletization design developed in FY15 has helped the company fit 20 percent more products on each pallet shipped.
The technology company had pioneered use of packaging created from captured greenhouse gases, wheat straw, mushroom and bamboo.
“Wheat straw packaging is 100 percent recyclable and uses 40 percent less energy and 90 percent less water in manufacturing than traditional cardboard,” a statement reads.
Dell increased its usage of wheat straw-based packaging 8-fold over FY14.
At the end of FY15, two-thirds of all Dell packaging was recyclable or compostable. Also, all of its tablet shipments and 92 percent of notebook shipments were delivered in packaging made of 100 percent recyclable or compostable material. The company aims to achieve waste-free packaging by 2020.
Dell is also investing in clean energy projects as part of its switchover to sustainable development. In 2014, the multinational powered operations of its manufacturing facility at Lodz in Poland with renewable electricity. Currently 21 sites of Dell are powered entirely by clean energy.
And on account of improved energy efficiency over the last three years, the company has reduced the energy intensity of its entire product portfolio by 30.1 percent.
That in monetary terms would mean cumulative savings of $450 million for customers in electricity charges compared with levels in 2012.
Ajith Kumar S