Eliminating Waste with a Circular Economy

A significant problem the world faces each day is the waste crisis. Waste of every kind continues to grow and contributes to climate change, especially in a linear economy. What some may not be aware of is that there is a way to eliminate waste altogether. 

According to HWH Environmental, the average American family creates 6,570 pounds of trash per year and only 13 percent of the world’s municipal solid waste is recycled. A circular economy is an economic system that eliminates waste altogether by converting used materials into reusable products. 

Consider how many products are thrown away after use, items such as water bottles, glass bottles, electronics, plastic, etc. Many things are thrown away that can be repaired and reused, especially electronics. The world generates about 40 tons of electronic waste annually. Average mobile phone users replace their devices about once every 18 months, and e-waste makes up 70 percent of the earth’s toxic waste.

Toxic waste can be extremely dangerous not only to the environment but also to human health. When electronics are thrown out with municipal waste they may end up in landfills. If left in landfills too long, electronics can leak toxic chemicals such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium. These chemicals eventually soak into the soil and pollute groundwater, which eventually contaminates the surrounding drinking water supply. 

A circular economy eliminates the problem of waste altogether. Retired devices typically get tossed in the garbage or tucked away in a drawer never to be used again. Rather than wasting hundreds of thousands of perfectly useful devices, repairing and remarketing old electronics helps extend the life of devices and bridge the digital divide by providing electronics to those without access. 

IT asset disposition enterprises like HOBI close the loop on the circular economy by partnering with companies to provide end-of-use services such as data erasure, repair and remarketing opportunities, mobility managed services, and reverse logistics. HOBI collects retired IT assets that have not yet reached the end of their useful life, and repurposes them via repair and refurbishment. If devices cannot be reused they are recycled after all data is wiped and any risk of data leaks is mitigated.  

With more than 30 years of industry experience, HOBI is R2v3, RIOS, WBE, and ISO-14001 certified, and committed to helping clients reduce their carbon footprint with responsible IT asset management and disposition. 
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.