Every enterprise has inventories of old,
unused and outdated computer equipment sitting around. Some might be CPUs that are inadequate for today’s business applications. Others are obsolete
monitors or printers that simply lack the
speed and reliability to function in today’s
go-go-go office environment.
Nobody likes to just toss out appliances.
And, in some jurisdictions, it is illegal.
Smart Business spoke with Greg Jacobs,
vice president of global logistics at
Pomeroy IT Solutions, Inc., about what to
do with used computer equipment.
How do the green guidelines of reduce, reuse
and recycle apply to computer equipment?
That’s a great question because a lot of people will associate following ‘green’ principles
with end-of-life computers. It actually applies
to all computing assets from the time they are
purchased through end-of-life. The level of
technology for end-of-life computer equipment can vary widely between companies
depending on how aggressively they deploy
new technology. It can also vary by types of
users within companies.
For example, a two-year-old, high-end computer used by engineers may become obsolete because they need more computing
power. When a new asset is purchased, the
old computer can be redeployed to an administrative user, becoming a tremendous performance improvement while eliminating the
need to purchase a new computer.
Assets that are unusable also present
opportunities to follow green guidelines
because they may have value to other companies, charitable organizations or schools. A
fair number of these assets still have computing life and can be resold or donated.
Also, some equipment can be resold and broken down for parts. For assets that aren’t useful to anyone, proper disposal is critical.
Can’t old equipment just be thrown away?
No, there are EPA regulations against that.
Computer equipment that is thrown away
can end up in landfills. As it breaks down, it
releases toxins into the soil and environment.
The key is to establish a relationship with an
EPA-certified disposal organization that has invested in the infrastructure to properly
break down old technology into the basic
components, remove the toxins and dispose
of the remaining debris. Depending on the
type of equipment, there may or may not be
costs associated with proper disposal
because there are some components, like
precious metals, that can be removed that
have value.
Is there a trade-in market for computers?
Actually, trade-ins have always been available from certain companies and channels of
distribution. With the increased focus on
being green, you’re seeing more offerings
develop from original equipment manufacturers and others. Being focused on green
guidelines around computing assets represents good, sound business. The focus on
green strategies will help all of us develop
new and better product and service offerings
while protecting our environment.
How can a company implement some of
these principles?
It’s dependent on factors such as the size of
the company, how aggressively technology is
used, and how decentralized or distributed a
company is. It’s not one size fits all, but by
understanding how employees leverage technology in their jobs, redeployment opportunities can be uncovered.
For larger organizations with distributed
facilities, there are companies that can help
with the challenges of redeployment. There
are economic considerations with some of
these decisions, so it’s important to understand each client to determine the proper
green strategy. By asking the right questions
and using established processes, large clients
can save millions of dollars by properly managing the overall life cycle of their computing
assets and applying green guidelines.
How long should equipment be kept?
Storage is always a consideration as you try
to establish your approach. Another consideration is that people may store equipment
for backup reasons. These uncontrolled
computing assets are underutilized and
exposed to theft, which can pose a security
threat because software licenses and data
probably reside on the computer’s hard drive.
Best practices incorporate processes that
minimize this type of storage and some level
of centralization of the assets for use by
everyone, not a select few that know about
them. With centralization, proper handling
processes can be put in place to reclaim software licenses and remove company data. It
also makes it possible to properly manage
the age of computing assets and to establish
relationships with companies that can help
properly broker, donate or dispose of equipment following green guidelines.
What other considerations are there?
For smaller organizations, a lot of this can
be handled within their office by finding
proper storage space and establishing some
processes. Larger companies have other considerations such as technology standardization, procurement and financial processes,
shipping, software licensing, data security
and the overall impact on support. For most
companies, though, thinking green not only
protects the environment but also has a profound impact on the bottom line. It’s well
worth the effort.
GREG JACOBS is vice president of global logistics with
Pomeroy IT Solutions, Inc. Reach him at [email protected].