Recycle your technology waste effortlessly, regardless of the brand, with Dell’s free e-waste collection service

We all aspire to live in a greener and cleaner world, and technology plays a tremendous role in realising those ambitions. But technology’s transformational and democratising power comes at a high cost. Every year the world generates over 50 million tonnes of electronic waste. South Africa produces around 360,000 tonnes of that – 6.2 kilograms per person, according to the e-Waste Association of South Africa. Most are not recycled.

General waste already poses a hazard to the environment and the sustainability of our communities. But electronic waste is worse, containing hazardous chemicals and materials, such as mercury, that can seep into the soil and water. Electronic waste also contains plastic. Many of those components can be recycled, some even reused for other technology tasks. Yet those disposing of electronic waste often don’t know how to.

At Dell Technologies, we offer a free electronic waste removal service for both homes and businesses. Our teams will collect e-waste such as old equipment and ink cartridges for free, as well as aid in reselling older equipment, regardless of the brand or vendor. We will collect equipment from Dell as well as competitor brands.

“Dell’s e-waste programme has been very effective. It operates in 45 countries and has a 93% customer experience satisfaction rate,” said Gareth Devlin, EMEA TakeBack Director for Dell Technologies. “The Asset Resale & Recycling services are available in South Africa. We collect electronic waste and obsolete systems from any brand and can help companies reinvest their recycling through our resell programme. We also collect and recycle print cartridges, an item many companies throw away. By offering these services, we’re is helping South Africans recycle responsibly and contribute to a greener world.”

The Asset Resale & Recycling (ARR) and other services are part of Dell Technologies’ commitment to a circular economy. In this approach, waste is reduced by being recycled and reintroduced into the value chain. Another example is how we uses ocean plastics to manufacture our devices.

South African individuals and businesses have access to three of Dell Technologies’ recycling programmes:

  • The ARR offers asset management for retired systems, and includes handling, pick-up logistics, data protection, resale for value back, and responsible recycling of any brand of owned or leased hardware. Detailed reports are generated of each system’s journey from collection to final disposition. In 2018, this programme globally produced $23 million in resale value back to customers.
  • The Printer Supplies service offers free pallet pick-up and pre-paid mail-back options. It covers all brands and is easy to use. An online label is generated to print and easily mail the cartridges to the service.
  • Dell’s Consumer Services program can collect or offer pre-paid mail services for any brand of IT and printer equipment or supplies, in any condition. An online portal makes it quick and convenient to arrange for collection or free mail.

By properly disposing of e-waste, individuals and companies contribute to several positive effects. They can realise savings and returned value through the resale of some equipment. Their contribution funnels into a growing local e-waste sector that creates employment. And they are helping remove dangerous materials from the waste cycle, supporting a circular economy where efficiency is helping create abundance for everyone.

If you have old systems and other types of electronic waste sitting around, get rid of them and help create a more sustainable world at the same time. It doesn’t matter what the brand is – our recycling service is agnostic to provide the greatest impact on our economy and environment. Do it all for free – visit Dell Technologies South Africa’s e-waste recycling site and learn more today.

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