Sims eRecycling recently launched in Australia after acquiring US based operation Metal Management Inc and Australian operation Clearhouse Technology. With a worldwide revenue up 38% and an 81% increase in profit, taking them to $433m in profits it seems eRecycling is big business but with an equally positive environmental impact...
With primary metal production (i.e. sourcing and processing of metal from the earth) being a high energy and water intensive (and not to mention highly environmentally degrading) process, the re-use of metal through recycling and re-processing is increasing ICTs' overall sustainability. And companies such as Sims are taking advantage of the estimated 1.6 million Australian computers dumped into landfill each year.
In 2008 Sims handled 11 million tonnes of ferrous metal which essentially enabled customers like major steel mills to avoid emitting 23.5 million tonnes of CO2.
According to Sims, the impact of recycling on this scale has a massive impact on the environment:
- Using recycled steel reduces energy consumption by 74%, air pollution by 86%, water consumption by 40% and water pollution by 76%
- Using recycled aluminium reduces energy consumption by 95%
- Using recycled copper reduces energy consumption by 85%
- Using recycled lead reduces energy consumption by 65%
- Using recycled zinc reduces energy consumption by 60%
And suprisingly computers contain all of these elements, as well as a veritable cocktail of other metals and elements including gold, nickel, tin, silver, iron, platinum, palladium, cobalt, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, chromium, selenium, gallium, plastics, silica and glass; as well as heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury.
With this complex 'electronic genetic makeup', Sims processes ewaste through a number of innovative processes including a specially developed CRT glass seperation and recovery system (the components of which contain lead) - they note that of the approximate 10kgs weight of a typical CRT monitor, 2-3kgs is lead.
And while recycling is absolutely a good thing, one of the interesting points raised in Sims' own annual report is the impact of lower cost materials in their ability to recycle: essentially that as the price pressure for consumer goods increases, there is an increase in low value materials which can't be recycled or re-used effectively.
Sadly, this price pressure mixed with our new-generation 'buy-cheap, dispose tomorrow' attitude, will result in electronic waste turning into one of the biggest environmental issues in the next 10 years.
You can recycle your computers and electronics at these locations: http://www.greenitstrategy.com/index.php?option=com_weblinks&view=category&id=13&Itemid=17
References:
Sims Recycling, Annual Report, http://sims.republicast.com/ar2008/republicast.asp?page=1&layout=1&control=yes&zoom=100
Total Environment Centre, New alliance calls for urgent action on computer recycling laws, http://www.tec.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=488&Itemid=270
