This ambition is a demand of our customers

Early last month, several leaders of the Texas PC manufacturer, Dell, came into the Silicon Valley to present an ambitious computer waste recycling program. Golden State is the State most tip in the crusade to limit the extent of the ecological disaster is looming. According to the U.S. National Safety Council (NSC), end of the year, there will be 500 million computers inoperable and delivered to the decomposition in the United States. With each several kilograms of products often highly toxic, such as lead or cadmium.

The NSC estimates that only one-tenth of obsolete electronic equipment are recycled at the present time in the country. Result: State "Green" par excellence, California has the most restrictive legislation for manufacturers and users to recycle these waste at best.

Hewlett-Packard, pioneer

But the other reason that led Dell to present its own program to thousands of kilometres from its head office is the fact that Silicon Valley specifically hosts the headquarters of his main rival, Hewlett-Packard. However it is considered a pioneer in "e-waste" (e-waste) recycling. The constructor has treated more than 70,000 tonnes last year and launched a program called the HP Planet Partners, operational in most countries of the world which operates the Californian constructor. It provides users with several options to rid themselves of their used computer equipment: conventional recycling, Exchange or donation, their obsolete equipment being in all cases provided to be retired.

For its part, Dell has set a goal to exceed its main rival. If, in 2005, the firm of Michael Dell is recycled "that" 35,000 tonnes approximately, it has increase by four times this amount in three years. "This ambition is a demand of our customers." "We all have a responsibility in this issue", assured Jack Player, Director of the Recovery Services at Dell, presenting his new programme.

In fact, it goes far beyond simple quantitative objectives. The world leader in the PC is thus committed to use less hazardous for the health in its materials, design to simplify the process of recycling and improve current performance. But, definitely very environmentally friendly, it also ensures to work to reduce the energy consumption of its materials and respect more the environment throughout the manufacturing process. Not to mention of "fostering the emergence of a corporate culture that awareness employees and leaders to environmental issues." A 84 page report published for the occasion, widely distributed to the American media and opinion, attests to these good provisions.

A work done in prison

The manufacturer wants more awareness of its new policy more favourable to the environment that it share far and... his conversion is recent. Three years ago, during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas the show of the most publicized in the United States leisure electronics, Silicon Valley Toxic Coalition (SVTC) members had managed to attract the main channels of television cameras in filing before the entry of dozens of used computers of the mark.

Dressed in the striped dress black and white of the convicts, the California environmentalist organization activists had so dramatically denounced the fact that Dell gave the prison administration care retrieve certain elements of its computers. Taskpad paid a little more than a dollar of time prisoners and carried out in deplorable conditions of hygiene and safety.

Such actions, which have multiplied, have begun to educate the American public, forcing Dell to abandon its program... to engage in a global policy of own recycling, which today includes numerous actions of awareness to its own customers.

The pressure of the media

Varying degrees, the other major manufacturers of computers in the country is, also invested in such programs. That IBM is called "PC recycling Program". It allows each owner of a brand PC equipment back for recycling, using tailored packages sent to the home of the user. However this operation remains financially dependent of the latter: about $ 30 per equipment.

Today, it is the turn to Apple to be in the interest of the SVTC, who denounces the casualness with which Steve Jobs, the boss of the firm Apple, deals with the subject, including in his public comments. These organizations and even some media pressure however begins to bear fruit: Apple has just announced that it would soon launch its iPod recycling program, as they become obsolete.

Despite these advances, "for the moment, it's"green smoke"mostly", said Ted Smith, one of the leaders of the SVTC, arguing that, "if they were really serious, the marks would much more". In fact, according to the National Safety Council, only 11 of the electronic equipment sold in the United States are currently recycled. This percentage increases that slowly, manufacturers of electronic leisure or entering showing less slow indeed that manufacturers of microcomputers to wanting to change the situation.

Nevertheless, always under the pressure of public opinion of some States including California local governments are taking the relay. Thus, Christine Gregoire, Governor of the State of Washington, just convert to act a legislative proposal which will allow to individuals but also to businesses to recycle toll their obsolete equipment. This law was vigorously combated by major manufacturers such as Philips or Panasonic, protesting against the financing of this measure, for the most part, their dependants. With the entry into force of the digital television in the United States, it is the prospect of a massive renewal of positions which has accelerated the adoption of this law, already in effect in California. Even if Golden State succeeded in making support its funding in part by the consumer to pay a fee of $ 10 for each nine electronic item which it acquired.