Welcoming the funding, Scrap IT general manager Ian Sharp explained that the funding would help meet some of the basic costs of running the business such as the rental costs for the firm's premises. And, he estimated that the company needs 210,000 to increase the throughput from a current level of 300 computers to its target of 700 per year.
As a result of the funding, the most the company will be able to do is to maintain its recycling operations at the same level. This entails collecting old computers from businesses and universities, stripping them down and reselling them to community organisations at 200 each including VAT.
Though the cash has been useful for the company, Mr Sharp acknowledges the scale of the challenge, estimating that 80,000 computers in the Sheffield area go to landfill every year. He conceded that “We’re still only making a small dent in IT recycling. ” Statistics are elusive, however: “It’s a closed book. If people found out how much IT waste there was, they’d be shocked,” he commented.
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