The International E-waste Day initiative on 14 October aims to reduce the environmental burden of e-waste, to save natural resources and to raise awareness about the proper disposal of e-waste throughout the world. Last year, more than 112 organisations from 48 countries backed the initiative to encourage recycling of e-waste. This year, the initiative is expected to be even more successful.

In light of this year’s topic, education, TCO Development has launched an e-waste quiz to support educational and awareness-raising activities linked to this initiative. The quiz aims to encourage consumers and purchasers to take action and take responsibility for their e-waste.

To prevent e-waste, the global sustainability certification TCO Certified has adopted a circular approach to the production and consumption of IT products. The criteria in TCO Certified require that IT products be durable, repairable and upgradeable as well as recyclable, so that products can be used for longer and materials can be recovered.

This year, TCO Certified began including a supplemental certification for e-waste which is intended for best-in-class products meeting leading edge sustainability criteria. The e-waste compensated programme gives purchasing organisations the opportunity to take responsibility for the e-waste they generate.

“In order to reduce e-waste, the most important thing you can do is to keep your IT products in circulation for as long as possible by your own use, re-use, repair or reselling the product. If none of this is possible, make sure the product is responsibly recycled,” said Clare Hobby, Global Purchaser Engagement Director at TCO Development. “Start simple. Look at your IT equipment and think, can I use it for one more year?”