Dubai : 220,000 Empty Cartridges Collected So Far in 2011

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Dubai : 220,000 Empty Cartridges Collected So Far in 2011

Bee’ah launches its e-waste treatement facility
Tonnes of electronic waste, including unwanted equipment, computers, printers, fax machines, cell phones, and other electronic goods, end up in landfills across the UAE every year. In addition, an estimated over 220,000 empty printer cartridges were received at Bee’ah’s Waste Management Complex in Al Saj’ah, during the year 2011, to be safely stored and treated.

Advancing on this, Bee’ah – the Middle East’s leading and award-winning integrated environmental and waste management company – has launched an e-waste pre-sorting and dismantling facility. The facility is one of the region’s first, and is Bee’ah’s most recent addition to its Waste Management Complex in Al Saj’ah.

Chief Executive Officer at Bee’ah, Mr. Khaled Al Huraimel commented saying, "The electronic goods industry is one of the fastest growing in the world. Due to the high demand for smaller and better technology, the electronic waste stream is rising and becoming a concern in the Middle East." He added: "The collection and treatment of electronic waste is a fundamental element of Bee’ah’s overall integrated waste management strategy and expansion to handle new waste streams in Sharjah."

Toxic or hazardous substances in electronic waste are typically heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, amongst others. Electronics also contain small amounts of precious metals such as gold, silver, copper, platinum, that are in finite supply, along with plastic, glass, lead and other metals. Apart from being essential to keep this hazardous waste as much as possible out of landfills, re-use of these materials reduces the need to deplete the Earth’s precious resources.

The Bee’ah e-waste treatment facility receives, sorts and dismantles electronic waste. In the case of computers and electronic devices, the facility team checks each device for its condition, sorts the items into piles for refurbishing, dismantling and destruction. Meanwhile, all the data storage devices, such as hard disks, are physically destroyed and a certificate of destruction and data confidentiality is issued by Bee’ah, upon completion of the job.

Further to the e-waste treatment facility, Bee’ah has expanded its printer ink cartridges recycling programme, going beyond just corporations, and now includes schools and universities. With the support of the Sharjah Education Zone (SEZ), recyclable carton collection boxes have been implemented in 60 schools and universities including Sharjah Higher Colleges of Technology, Khalifa University and the University of Sharjah, with another 100 schools to follow.

It is estimated that around 360 million printer ink cartridges globally end up in landfill sites every year and takes almost 1,000 years for these cartridges to decompose naturally, due to the fact that they contain engineering grade polymers which are too complex to break down.

"We set up our e-waste collection and treatment programme, in order to address the community concern requests for a solution to the growing amounts of e-waste," said Khaled El Kalliny, VP of Business Development at Bee’ah. "Generally, individuals hold onto their discarded electronic goods because of their perceived value. These end up as clutter, whereas instead, they could be put into much better use if refurbished and recycled," El Kalliny added. "In an effort to encourage the community to dispose of their e-waste correctly, we have placed e-waste and printer cartridges collection points in all major universities and schools and well as central points across Sharjah."

These printer ink cartridges are collected and transported to facilities where they are then recycled or refilled. A certificate to confirm that these cartridges have been processed for recycling is then issued for the participating organisation.

Incorrectly discarding printer ink cartridges can also lead to a health hazard; the International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified carbon black as a carcinogenic material which is used in toner powder. By improperly discarding printer cartridges, this carbon material can end up affecting the respiratory tract and cause irritation, with more hazardous health issues in the long-term.

Buying recycled printer cartridges and electronics will not only reduce the need for new raw material, but can also save individuals, businesses, institutions and organisations thousands of dirhams over the course of a fiscal year, will lead to fulfilling their corporate social and environmental responsibility goals, as well as impact the sustainability of the environment across the UAE.Bee’ah’s e-waste collection and treatment service is now available in Sharjah.

 

http://www.ameinfo.com/281147.html
RTA obtain HP’s Green Initiative certification
The Information Technology Dep’t (IT Dep’t) at the Corporate Technical Support Services Sector of the Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) has been awarded HP’s Green Initiative Certificate in recognition of its fruitful efforts and effective role in reassembling of empty toner cartridges from RTA offices and handing them over to HP Company for disposing of them in a safe and environment-friendly manner after removing some of their components for recycling in other industries.

The award was made in a gathering attended by Abdullah Al Madani, CEO of RTA Corporate Technical Support Services Sector; and Ameen Murtadawi, General Manger of HP Middle East, in RTA Head Office in the presence of several employees of both parties where Mr. Murtadawi presented the RTA with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition from the global company of the good results achieved by the RTA in this score.

"RTA is always keen on applying the best international practices in conserving the environment, adopting green IT, and contributing to the recycling of several printing materials and office stationery items; a practice that brings about huge dividends at all levels, including reduced expenditure and higher revenues besides supporting the efforts aimed at achieving these noble objectives in collaboration with other concerned entities.

"RTA is always seeking to benefit from the latest techniques in IT with a view to contributing effectively in upgrading the work mechanism, and improving employees’ performance at all sectors & agencies in a bid to assist them deliver the best services to RTA customers from various community segments. It also attends to lending a helping hand to all efforts aimed at improving the environment, conserving materials, improving the public health, and enhancing the productivity of the individual and the entire community," continued Al Madani.

For his part Ameen Murtadawi, General Manger of HP Middle East, was pleased to award the "Green Initiative & Recycling Programme" Certificate to the RTA and expressed admiration and credit of the achievements made or being made by the RTA in public transport as well as associated infrastructure, sophisticated IT environment enjoyed by RTA agencies & sectors, and the e-services delivered to the public using public transport means in the Emirate of Dubai.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Dell+have+greenest+gadgets+still+mark+Greenpeace/5701482/story.html
HP, Dell have greenest gadgets, but still off mark: Greenpeace
Hewlett-Packard has taken over first place in the slow march toward sustainability in the electronic gadget industry, according to the latest rankings by Greenpeace.

The environmental organization’s Guide to Greener Electronics, released this week, sorted the 15 largest gadget makers on the basis of energyuse, greener products, and sustainable operations. HP reached the top thanks to its commitment to measuring and reducing carbon emissions in its supply chain, according to the quarterly report, which is in its 17th edition.

Scoring 5.9 out of 10, HP isn’t yet "green" by Greenpeace’s standards (which requires a score of about seven), but is good enough for top of the heap on a list which also showed improvements by Dell (second place overall), Apple (fourth), Lenovo (eighth), LG Electronics (tied-13th) and Toshiba (tied-13th).

Research In Motion (RIM), the Canadian maker of Black-Berry, scored 1.6 out of 10, making its first appearance at 15th on the list, which has been published since 2006.

Greenpeace researchers scrutinized how companies with the largest market shares make mobile phones, televisions and computers, said Christy Ferguson, climate and energy unit head, Greenpeace Canada.

An "energy" category was assessed based on companies’ manufacturing emissions, as well as having a "clean energy plan." Products’ "greenness" depended on electronic efficiency, avoidance of hazardous substances, use of recycled materials and the life expectancy of the gadget – a new category in which 13 of 15 companies received a grade of "low" or "zero."

"Sustainable operations" used less energy in their supply chain, avoided using conflict materials (materials, usually minerals obtained in conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses), and offered e-waste recycling programs.

"It’s definitely getting better," said Ferguson, explaining that the ranking criteria varies to "raise the bar" or to address new problems in the evolving industry.

The guide holds companies accountable, Ferguson said. Participating gadget-makers can use public disclosure, benchmarks and action to strengthen ties with consumers in a market that depends increasingly on brand loyalty.

Putting pressure on companies that use dangerous chemicals has been one of the successes of the initiative, Ferguson said.

In 2006, only five companies expressed interest in eliminating Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) and Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from their manufacturing practises. Since then, a total of 13 companies now have plans to eliminate those chemicals, while Apple, Sony and Nokia already have, Ferguson said. "Now they [PVC and BFRs] are being phased out."

HP scored particularly well in the areas of operational emissions, and sustainable sourcing of fibre paper, according to the research findings. Dell scored high in the same categories and made the most dramatic jump in the rankings, climbing from 10th to second overall.

HP and Dell could not be reached for comment.

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November 17, 2011 at 7:54 AM