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The Case for Reuse. Why Electronics Reuse is a Win-Win Proposition

Posted on January 30, 2012

While Americans know that e-waste is a mounting environmental problem, high rates of unemployment persist, and the digital divide plagues millions of Americans, they’re not always aware of a viable solution — electronics reuse. Electronics reuse is extending the life of an electronic item by using it more than once for a similar or new function. Reusing unwanted electronic goods not only benefits the environment by keeping toxins out of the landfill, it also allows local communities to reap the social and economic benefits of job training, job creation, and helps shrink the digital divide.

As the founding director of Reuse Alliance, a national association that promotes reuse, I often speak about the triple bottom line benefits of this often-overlooked activity. Whether you say “triple bottom line”, “people, planet, profit”, or “win-win-win” it all boils down to the same fact, reuse benefits the environment, our communities and the economy.

When talking about reuse, it’s often helpful to explain the difference between reuse and recycling. While recycling breaks down used items into raw materials and reprocesses them to make new items, reuse extends the life of an item by using it more than once, either as-is or with some modification or repair. By reusing materials you preserve the natural resources, labor and energy incorporated into manufacturing them. Additionally, when used materials aren’t trucked out of a community as trash it results in less emissions.

By diverting valuable resources from the landfill, electronic reuse organizations prevent highly toxic equipment from polluting our air and water, educate consumers about the importance of the proper disposal of unwanted electronics, provide meaningful green-collar jobs, and offer valuable job-training programs.

Reuse Alliance member NextStep is an electronics reuse organization offering these triple bottom line benefits. Founded in 2002, NextStep meets their mission to provide technology and training to children and adults who have barriers to employment and education and protecting the environment from hazardous waste all through electronics reuse.

NextStep, located in Eugene Oregon, has created a network of people committed to the shared values of preserving the environment, working to bridge the digital divide, and enhancing the quality of life around the world. NextStep provides community members with opportunities to learn about the impact e-waste, and through community referrals, places computers directly with children and adults living in foster care, persons experiencing disabilities, family members leaving domestically violent relationships, migrant worker families, under-funded schools and nonprofits.

Over the years, NextStep has made a tremendous impact on the environment. They’ve put thousands of pieces of electronic equipment, such as computer hardware, household electronics, and appliances, back into use in the community. As of September 2011, the company reports it has refurbished more than 23,000 computer systems and sold thousands of other household electronics sold at affordable prices. They’ve also properly managed the recycling of over 10 million pounds of e-waste.

NextStep also recognizes that technology is becoming increasingly important in the workplace, and that jobs in the information technology sector pay almost 80 percent more than the average private sector wage. As such, they offer volunteers valuable skills-training in rebuilding computers and other electronic hardware. Since inception, more than 8000 volunteers have donated over 480,000 hours of service refurbishing and recycling computers. Of those volunteers, hundreds have enhanced their employment marketability through experiential service learning and extensive training by staff.

Another Reuse Alliance member at the forefront of electronics reuse and recycling is Goodwill Industries International. In 2004, Goodwill formed a partnership with Dell to create a program that would allow Goodwill agencies to responsibly dispose of unwanted electronic products. Through this partnership, known as Reconnect, participating Goodwill agencies accept unwanted computers and components, ranging from whole systems to small parts, monitors and mice to keyboards and scanners, and provide tax deductible receipts for these donated goods.

Goodwill employees manage the collection, sorting, and in some locations, the disassembly and/or refurbishment of the equipment. The program supports Goodwill’s job training programs, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have disabilities, those who lack education or job experience, and others facing challenges to finding employment. Unsalvageable equipment is sent to Dell’s authorized environmental partners for responsible recycling. Since the program’s inception Dell Reconnect has diverted more than 190 million pounds of e-waste from landfills and created more than 250 green jobs.

Reconnect started in June 2004 with the Goodwill of Central Texas and now there are more than 2,200 Goodwill stores and donation centers that serve as collection sites for the Dell Reconnect program across the United States and www.reconnectpartnership.com. Canada, making it convenient for more than 42 million U.S. households to drop off computer and accessories for free, environmentally-responsible materials management. Working together, Goodwill and Dell help raise consumer awareness about the positive aspects of donating electronic goods.

Now, let’s multiply the effort of these two organizations exponentially. There are thousands of reuse organizations across America — diverting tons of materials from landfills, providing vital resources to those in need, and contributing millions of dollars in economic benefit. Despite the amazing work these organizations do in their communities, we must work harder to get the message across that reuse in an integral part of sustainable materials management. Unless Americans understand the connection between reuse and sustainability, perfectly useful materials will continue to wind up in landfill. At the Reuse Alliance, we look forward to helping individuals, nonprofits, or businesses come together to raise awareness about reuse, and we hope you will join us in this effort.