Recycling Hardware

From TheStudentWiki

1 Introduction
2 Charity
3 Material Breakdown
4 Efficiency
5 Cleaning Up
6 Initiatives and Organisations

Introduction

Recycling hardware is a concept where a used piece of hardware is reused or a better alternative is found rather than thrown into landfill sites. The idea of recycling hardware is brought up because of the issue that most electronic parts can have a hazardous effect on the environment. It is one of the main categories of Green computing.

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Charity

There are many people who do not yet own a computer simply because they cannot afford to purchase or maintain one. By putting together used parts rather than dumping them, a computer could be donated to those who are less fortunate.

Many people complain that the computers in schools and community facilities are not up to the standard that they should be, whilst many computers that are thrown out from homes and businesses are up to the standard that would be needed in the schools and community facilities. It would make a huge difference if the homes and businesses could donate there old hardware to the community.

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Material Breakdown

A lot of electronic parts are a made up of plastic and other reusable materials. These could be broken down to be used again for the same type of product or even a completely different type of product.

Non-reusable materials, such as silicon chips still pose a problem though. But some people have found a use for them in sculpture and art.

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Efficiency

The more efficiently computers are used the less need there will be to recycle them or throw them away.

Using thin-client solutions in computer systems. For example this would generally reduce the number of electronic materials used and even reduce emission into the environment during production.

Even simple things like hibernating your computer could reduce the wear and tear on the hardware, giving your hardware a longer life span.

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Cleaning Up

The dumping of hardware and electronic chips over the years has left a hazardous mark on the environment. No more so is this evident than in the landfill areas in developing countries. If nothing is done this dumps will continue to poison the environment. According to an article on theregister.co.uk the UN is currently trying to tackle the problem. ‘A United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) met to discuss the growing threat from toxic electronic waste being dumped on developing countries. UNEP reported that criminal dumping of in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire, had caused the deaths of at least 12 people and forced 100,000 to seek medical attention. $30m of international financial assistance would be needed to clean up one of the world's poorest countries, it said.’