Working in partnership with Midlands-based charity ReCom, Dell will be providing a home for used desktop and notebook computers.
” Computers which are no longer useful to a person may have several years left in them for a non-profit organisation “
-Jean Cox-Kearns, Dell
ReCom previously offered a computer donation service specifically for the West Midlands, with the help of Dell it has now taken that scheme nationwide.
Through the scheme, Dell will be promoting the re-use of complete electronic units which is one of the key drivers of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
The introduction of this scheme follows on from the UK launch of Dell's WEEE recycling programme for business and consumer customers in September 2004. (see letsrecycle.com story 3749)
Dell has said that the aim of the new scheme is to match the needs of beneficiaries against offered donations. All organisations involved are pre-screened for eligibility with particular focus on community centres, activities for people with disabilities, lifelong learning, educational projects, promoting skills that people need to live independently and services and training to improve individual's employment prospects.
Alarming
Jean Cox-Kearns, take back and recycling manager at Dell, said: “It is alarming the number of computers that go to waste each year sitting in cupboard or being thrown away. Computers which are no longer useful to a person may have several years left in them for a non-profit organisation.
“We believe the introduction of our new donation programme in the UK, working together with the National Cristina Foundation and ReCom, is a step in the right direction towards converting one person's unwanted kit into a life expanding tool for those who have not previously had the benefit of such computer technology.”
The company has set a minimum technical specification for the donated computers of a Pentium 2 processor. This is to ensure the products have the greatest possible use and life for the recipient. Anyone wanting to donate below the specification will be offered the option to recycle the product through Dell's recycling service.
Dell has also been working with USA based charity the National Cristina Foundation on the scheme. The charity accepts used computer equipment from individuals and corporations worldwide.
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