Dell UK is helping business to recycle their IT equipment. The service is a response to the new Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) legislation, which is to be introduced in 2005.

The legislation comes into effect on 13 August 2005 and makes it illegal to inappropriately dispose of IT equipment while ignoring treatment centres which have been introduced to effectively recycle office hardware.

According to The Environment Agency, at least 1m tonnes of electrical and electronic waste from domestic and commercial sources are discarded in the UK every year. With this in mind Dell seeks to help consumers meet the stipulations of the WEEE directive as well as help businesses become more conscious about the amount of waste they produce.

Pat Nathan, Dell’s global sustainable business director, said: “Our survey shows that awareness among both businesses and consumers of how to responsibly retire used computers is very low. Our UK programme will be a key element in helping us meet our global goal of increasing recovery of used computer products by 50 per cent over the amount collected in Dell’s fiscal year 2004, which ended on 30 January 2004.”

Coming into effect at the end of the year, Dell will also introduce a service that will allow firms to donate old equipment to charity Nathan said, “The new UK programme will help one person's unwanted kit into a life expanding tool for those who have not previously had the benefit of such computer technology.”

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