Med rekonditionering får elektroniken en längre livstid och IT-svinnet minskar globalt. När vi istället för fabriksny IT väljer att köpa rekonditionerat besparas mängder av koldioxidutsläpp.
Environmental Impact of Electronics
Every year, millions of phones, laptops and other electronic devices are discarded even though they could have been refurbished and used longer.
The evolution of electronics has changed how we communicate, work and entertain ourselves. But behind this digital revolution lies a dark side that needs attention: the significant climate impact of electronics. Today, only 46% of the world’s CEOs know their own company’s IT footprint*. At Inrego, we want to change that!
The minerals and metals needed to produce IT equipment are also extracted in countries where human rights are often violated.
Electronic waste and its environmental impact
Electronic waste, or e‑waste, consists of end‑of‑life or surplus electronic products. The world generates roughly 50 million tonnes of e‑waste each year—a figure expected to rise as technology advances and product lifecycles shorten. E‑waste is particularly problematic because it often contains hazardous substances such as lead, mercury and cadmium, which can leach into the environment and harm both ecosystems and human health if not handled properly.
Most emissions occur during production…
Roughly 80 percent of total emissions are generated during the production of brand‑new IT equipment. Manufacturing a single computer requires 22 kg of chemicals, 1,500 litres of water and produces 1,200 kg of waste. By choosing a refurbished product instead of a new one, you can therefore save a large amount of waste and CO₂ emissions.
Production also involves extracting rare minerals, often under environmentally and ethically questionable conditions. Smartphone production is considered one of the biggest culprits for CO₂ emissions in the electronics industry, given the number of units produced and the short lifespan of these products.
How much CO₂ we can save with refurbished IT
Greenhouse gas emissions from the iPhone 15 Pro
To illustrate a phone’s climate impact, let’s look at an iPhone 15 Pro. Over its life cycle it emits a total of 66 kg CO₂. The emissions fall into four categories: production, transport, use and recycling. By reusing an iPhone 11 instead, you save roughly 57 kg CO₂ compared with buying new, because as much as 83% of the emissions occur during production.
Emissions for an HP EliteBook 840 G9
If we look at a laptop such as the HP EliteBook 840 G9, we see the same pattern. It is by keeping products in use longer that we can drastically reduce the climate impact
Reuse and refurbishment as solutions
One way to tackle the problem of electronic waste and reduce environmental impact is through the reuse and refurbishment of IT equipment. Every year, millions of phones, laptops and other electronic devices are discarded even though they could have been refurbished and used longer.
We offer one of Europe's biggest assortment of refurbished IT-products and we buy your used IT. Join us in the circular economy, today!
