Dell Says its E-Waste Policies Exceed Basel Convention Requirements

Dell’s e-waste disposition policy “exceeds the requirements” of the Basel Convention, the company said Monday in its fiscal 2010 corporate responsibility report. The company expanded the definition of electronic waste to cover all computer nonworking parts or devices, “irrespective of material composition,” and required that they be tested and certified as “working” before being exported, it said. The last change was aimed at preventing the “unauthorized dumping of electronic waste in developing counties,” Dell said. During the year, the company became the first major computer maker to “officially” ban exports of nonworking electronics to developing countries, it said.

Dell’s e-waste policies drew praise from environmental groups like the Electronic TakeBack Coalition. Several companies are continuing to export used, nonworking electronic equipment to developing countries under the guise of repair work, coalition National Coordinator Barbara Kyle said. Dell’s e-waste policy is “now the strongest in the industry and demonstrates Dell’s leadership as a global environmental citizen.” Through its recycling program for consumers and businesses, Dell said, it recycled 484 million pounds of electronics since 2006.

Dell said its free recycling programs are now available in more than 70 countries. In the U.S., the company joined with Goodwill to add 445 collection sites in fiscal 2010, making 1,900 participating Goodwill stores total, it said. In packaging, Dell said, its goal is to reduce its size, use recycled or sustainable materials and ensure that it’s easily recycled. It plans to extend the use of bamboo packaging, started in 2009, to additional products in fiscal 2011, the company said. Dell said it has pledged to cut cube-size packaging materials 10 percent and increase use of recyclable materials 40 percent by 2012. The company said it’s on track to “simplify and revolutionize” computer packaging and keep about 20 million pounds of packaging materials out of landfills by 2012.

In 2010, Dell said, it started using LEDs in all new laptop displays, eliminating mercury in those products. The company promised to expand the list of mercury-free LED-based products. More than 135 Dell products were EPEAT registered in 2010, it said. The company said it’s designing laptops and desktops to consume 25 percent less energy by the end of 2010 compared with systems offered in 2008. Dell said it believes that climate change is “real and must be mitigated.” Sourcing 25 percent of its global energy needs from renewable energy in 2010 is among steps that the company has taken to help with climate change mitigation, it said.