14 DAY TRIAL // Dell announced that it recovered nearly 40000 tons of damaged, defective or broken computer hardware parts from its customers last year, which would mean a 93% increase over 2006, with a much more ambitious goal of 125000 tons by 2009. According to the company, the amount of hardware parts collected and recycled equaled 12.4% of the equipment sold by Dell seven years earlier.
Encouraged by customers' response to its collecting and recycling program, Dell challenged other computer hardware producers to offer a free and global consumer recycling program. "Protecting the environment is too important an issue for one company to be leading alone," Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive of the company, said in a statement and was cited by the news Web based site InformationWeek. "Customers should not be forced into improper disposal due to a lack of environmentally responsible options. To that end, we are renewing our challenge to every computer manufacturer, regardless of size or location, to join us in offering a free, global consumer recycling program. It is the right thing for our customers and the earth we share."
Dell offers several recycling programs, including no-charge recycling services for its own branded computer equipment worldwide without requiring new product purchases. Dell is currently the only hardware producer that offers free recycling services for its own computer parts, without requiring the customer to buy a new product. The company partners with Goodwill Industries to help consumers donate unwanted electronics of any brand for intake at Goodwill sites. National Recycling Coalition Executive Director Kate Krebs said at the time that Dell's environmental initiatives "put them head and shoulders above any other electronics company."
Dell also recently announced a long-term, global initiative to partner with customers and members of the "Re-Generation" and other similar organizations to become the greenest computer technology company on Earth. The zero-carbon initiative includes IT life cycle assessments, management of Dell's direct and indirect climate impacts, reduction of the company's carbon intensity and partnership with customers.