HP & DELL BOOST RECYCLING EFFORTS

[Anonymous]

Tech giants boost recycling efforts

Dell
and Hewlett-Packard cut fees for their recycling programs this week, in advance
of Friday’s Earth Day observance.

Technology companies have come under growing pressure in the past few years
to address the growing mounds of dangerous waste created by outdated computer
hardware. Gear such as monitors and circuit boards are full of hazardous
chemicals that can leach into the soil and groundwater if dumped into landfills.
Groups such as the National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative have
successfully pushed computer makers to responsibly recycle more and more of
their obsolete goods.

HP announced on Thursday that it was temporarily cutting in half the fees it
charges customers to recycle old computer hardware. The promotion runs though
May 31 and works in conjunction with a rebate program that gives customers as
much as $50 off the price of new HP equipment if they recycle old gear through
the company.

HP launched its recycling program for consumers several years ago, charging
customers fees ranging from $17 to $46 to dispose of items such as monitors and
printers. The company also has a free recycling program for printer supplies
such as ink and toner cartridges.

HP said in a statement that it recycled 120 million pounds of used computer
hardware and printer cartridges in 2004, boosting its total since 1987 to 616
million pounds. The company aims to have recycled a billion pounds of waste by
the end of 2007.

Also Thursday, Dell cut prices for PC recycling for consumers and businesses.

The PC maker said that for a limited time it will pick up certain systems
from large corporate customers for free. The offer applies to lots of 100 or
more, and PCs have to be of fairly recent vintage–a Pentium III processor or
higher for desktops, Pentium II for notebooks.

Dell has also indefinitely dropped recycling prices for consumers. The
company is now charging $10 to ship a PC to Dell for recycling; previously, the
PC maker charged $15. The company continues to offer free recycling of old
equipment for customers who purchase a replacement desktop or notebook
system.

Dell was the first major PC maker to subject its recycling program to public
scrutiny, using the weight of goods recycled to measure its effectiveness in
keeping old gear out of landfills.

Friday will mark the 35th celebration of Earth Day, which was founded by U.S.
Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. Earth Day Network, the organization formed in
1970 to promote the then-new event, is coordinating Earth Day activities in 174
countries this year, the group says on its Web site.

[Author]

April 27, 2005 at 10:35 AM