Operation salvage

The supply of raw materials and mineral resources in the world is steadily
becoming scanty.

As technology depends on the supply of natural resources and the availability
of raw materials, the lack of it can act as a hindrance to the growth in the
technology field . Hence, the primary need for recycling of the products arises.

In the IT sector, the present focus is on the usage of recycling products to
ensure that e-waste is minimized in the process. The Green Party has claimed
that Microsoft's latest operating system, Vista, may lead to a mass upgradation
of computers that will result in old machines being dumped in landfill sites as
the operating system requires new hardware and is incompatible with the old
machines.

Despite the abysmal lack of awareness and initiative regarding safe e-waste
management in the country, many large organizations understand its importance
and are taking certain steps to ensure the safe disposal of e-waste. Scenarios
like this often make the vendors and the OEMs think about the possibilities of
innovative technologies, which use recycled products.

Mountains of e-waste including discarded parts of computers, mobile phones
and other consumer electronics equipment are creating a new environmental
problem in India.

According to Toxic Links, a campaign group, about 30 million computers are
thrown out every year in the US alone, and many are dumped in India and China.
Some 70 percent of the heavy metals in landfills come from electrical equipment
waste.

What have Vendors Done

According to HP (India), the company has recycled computers and printer
hardwares since 1987 exceeding its goal to recycle one billion pounds (4,50,000
metric tons) of electronic products and supplies by the end of 2007. In addition
to the millions of products that were recycled, HP collects approximately 2.5
million hardware products each year that are refurbished, resold, or donated.

HCL has tied up with two government-approved agencies-Trishiraya and
Eparisara, which are into dismantling of e-waste. They segregate the waste into
different usable parts and give it to appropriate organizations, which can make
use of them.

Sun Microsystems, apart from taking the help of organizations such as
Eparisara for recycling, also has certain internal policies in place. At Sun,
old fluorescent light tubes are accumulated and sent for recovery and recycling
of heavy metals (mercury) in tubes, steel caps, glass; toner and fax cartridges
are collected and recycled; binders are reused by local schools and chari table
organizations; employees conduct periodic clean sweeps to recycle furniture,
CDs, software and hardware.

Wipro Infotech, like other IT companies, generates a huge amount of e-waste.
It is recycled through certified agencies such as Trishiraya and the recycling
process is rigorously monitored in accordance to the recycling standards. The
vendor sorts out and disposes the e-waste based on the categories.

Wipro Infotech has set-up an e-waste management process called Wipro Green
Computing, which spans the product lifecycle from designing and manufacturing to
final disposal. The company is now launching a range of eco-friendly hardware
products to make its entire product range of laptops and desktops compliant with
Restriction on usage of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) Directive, which limits the
use of harmful components in products. HCL is also planning to introduce similar
initiatives for its personal computing products.

HP's global recycling standards for computer hardware require recyclers to
respect high environmental and employment standards.

"All HP units are participating in reducing e-waste. HP offers product
trade-in and leasing services in addition to recycling services. We have
recently announced the expansion of our product return and recycling program to
the enterprise segment in India. The Planet Partners Hardware Recycling Program
(PPP) is part of HP's ongoing commitment to offer recycling programs that are
convenient, environmentally sound and consistent with its global commitment,"
informed Bina Raj Debur, Country Head-Corporate Marketing, HP India.

Commenting on HP's PPP program, Jean Claude Vanderstraeten,
Director-Environmental Management, HP said, "We are committed to reduce our own
environmental impact, as well as that of our customers, partners and suppliers.
The number of PCs, servers, print cartridges and other electronics reaching the
end of their usable life is growing rapidly. It is critical that we work with
our customers to explore innovative approaches to electronics recycling so we
can offer the most environmentally responsible solutions available while
providing them with convenient choices."

This program minimizes the waste going to landfills and helps the end-users
to conveniently discard products in an environmentally sound fashion. Plastics
and metals recovered from products recycled by HP have been used in new HP
products, as well as a range of other uses, including auto body parts, clothes
hangers, plastic toys, fence posts, serving trays and roof tiles.

The Channel Take

With these kinds of programs in the pipeline and implementation of some of
these, consciousness about recycling at the retail level across India is
increasing. Avoiding any direct confrontation with vendors or the customers,
channel players usually put the onus of recycling and using environment friendly
materials on vendors.

"Indian customers are price conscious. Though concerned about environment,
customers prefer to turn a blind eye towards environment-friendly products, as
they are a bit expensive. Partners too are not ready to shell more money if they
do not see immediate benefits. Vendors who propagate environment-friendly
products use it merely as a publicity gimmick," elucidated Mumbai-based Umang
Mehta of Roop Technology.

Also, Sanjeev Gupta, CEO, Veltronics India, Indore commented, "Since the
vendors have not really promoted this concept enough and there is not much
advertising happening in this space, the end-consumers, especially the SOHO, is
not much aware of recyclable products. However the corporate customers are
easily convinced when it comes to selling them energy efficient and recyclable
products."

As the price of metal is gradually increasing, backed by uncontrollable
inflation in the market, vendors are now keen on spending more on innovative
technologies for recycling especially, in the case of glass.

Avishek Rakshit

avishekr@cybermedia.co.in