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GreenIT flash

Less than 10% of e-waste is recycled

Globally, about 130 million new PC’s and 1 billion cell phones are produced each year.


The last ten years have seen the accumulation of more than 500 million obsolete computers in the United States. E-waste is the fastest growing segment of Municipal Solid Waste in the industrialized world.

Only about 12% of discarded computers and cell phones are recycled, compared to a 42% rate for overall solid waste and a 70% rate for major appliances like refrigerators, washing machines and dryers. In the U.S., discarded e-waste is only 2% of total municipal waste by weight, but accounts for 70% of the heavy metals and 40% of the lead in landfills.

Much e-waste in industrialized nations is exported to developing nations and dumped at sea, disassembled by hand or burned in the open air — the most dangerous method of disposal.

 

GreenIT Index

GreenIT offers a certification program for enterprises that wish to receive independent evaluation of their Sustainability program.

The GreenIT Index is a measurement of the organization’s progress toward a mature ICT Sustainability process. The IT realm is evaluated in six dimensions: Materials and Resources, Energy and Climate Change, Waste Production, Human Health and Safety, Management Processes, and Iinnovation through IT. Numerical scores are assigned to each sector and the total is used to determine the GreenIT index.

Depending on the GreenIT index score, a seal of Bronze, Silver or Gold is assigned. The organization is then licensed to publish the Index on their website or other company material.

The GreenIT Index is offered in conjunction with the GreenIT Roadmap and GreenIT 360/365 programs.