In today's business world, there is a growing trend of companies choosing to purchase refurbished electronics over brand-new devices and embracing eco-friendly business tech solutions. This includes everything from refurbished laptops and desktop computers to monitors, printers, phones, and more. Several key reasons driving this trend – cost savings, environmental benefits, and quick turnaround times are some of the main factors. However, one aspect often overlooked is the positive environmental impact of refurbished electronics in business operations.
The Circular Lifecycle of Refurbished Electronics
When a business purchases refurbished desktops instead of new ones, it keeps electronics in use for longer, extending the circular lifecycle. Rather than having devices end up in a landfill after a few years, sending them to a refurbishing company gives them a “second life” with a new business. The UN has estimated that around 50 million tons of e-waste is produced every year, and only 20 percent of it is properly recycled. Not only does refurbishing reduce e-waste, but it also conserves raw materials and the associated carbon emissions needed to manufacture brand-new models. Essentially, the same device is being reused rather than replaced unnecessarily. This supports the transition to a more circular economy among businesses.
Reducing E-Waste Through Refurbishment
E-waste refers to discarded electronics that end up in landfills or incinerators. This has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally, severely impacting the environment and human health. When businesses choose to have their refurbished electronics like laptops rather than new, it significantly reduces the amount of e-waste they generate yearly. Rather than trashing computers, monitors, printers, and other devices that still have usable life left, they are restored, updated, and resold to other companies. Keeping electronics in use for longer through refurbishment reduces toxicity and preserves limited natural resources. This supports sustainability for all organizations involved.
Energy Savings Through Extending Product LifeCycles
There is also an energy conservation benefit to refurbished electronics. Manufacturing new computers, phones, and other tech devices requires significant energy for mining raw materials, component manufacturing, assembly, packaging, and transportation. When an existing device is refurbished, it avoids much of this embedded energy cost since the device already exists. Refurbishment extends the usable lifecycle, delaying the energy-intensive production of new models. This represents substantial energy savings over the device's continued life. These combined energy savings add up for large organizations purchasing hundreds or thousands of devices.
Building an Environmentally Responsible Image
There are also branding benefits for businesses to gain an environmentally responsible image through purchasing refurbished. Consumers and business partners increasingly seek to support brands aligned with their environmental values. When companies try to cut waste with programs like reusing electronics, it shows customers and stakeholders they are dedicated to sustainability. This can provide reputational gains, contributing to growth and talent acquisition. It also sets an example for other businesses to help normalize the practice of purchasing refurbished over new and help in reducing e-waste.
Assessing Total Cost of Ownership
When determining the value of refurbished electronics, businesses must take a holistic view using total cost of ownership (TCO). The upfront sticker price might be lower, but how does operational lifespan compare to brand-new models? What about downtime, repair costs, and productivity over time? Business owners can save big on IT equipment by opting for refurbished electronics. Refurbished devices with newer components may even last longer by avoiding premature failures. Considering all factors, an unbiased TCO assessment will often reveal that refurbished electronics provide substantial lifetime value while lowering environmental impacts.
Supporting the Circular Supply Chain
When electronics manufacturers take back devices, refurbish them and give them a “second life,” it also develops circular supply chain channels. Once these manufacturers recover devices from old business customers, they can renew and redistribute them at a fraction of the environmental cost of new models. Purchasing refurbished electronics helps sustain these circular supply chain pathways where materials flow in a loop rather than end up discarded. More businesses are recognizing their role in supporting this circular stream that aims to eliminate waste. This circular supply chain also creates domestic repair, restoration, and redistribution jobs. It represents a win-win from both an environmental and economic perspective.
Financial Incentives for Greener Purchasing
Many government entities now offer financial incentives for organizations purchasing refurbished electronics and other green equipment to encourage more environmentally conscious acquisition policies. Tax deductions and credits are also available in some regions to subsidize green purchasing expenses. By checking for current incentives, businesses can potentially fund a portion of their refurbished procurement budgets while driving environmental progress.
Overcoming Perceptions of Refurbished Devices
Despite all these advantages, some business leaders still shy away from refurbished electronics due to common misperceptions – primarily around reliability and quality. Often, there is an assumption that refurbished equipment will fail sooner than new or have cosmetic defects. However, most refurbished electronics undergo extensive inspection, testing, and replacement of worn parts to meet “like-new” standards. Many come with warranties equal to brand-new models, offering the same peace of mind. The 30-40% savings make minor cosmetic flaws negligible for most business use cases as well. Businesses can overcome these negative perceptions around refurbished gear by focusing purchases on reputable refurbishing companies with quality assurance testing.
Conclusion
While cost savings are still the predominant factor driving businesses to opt for refurbished devices, the environmental benefits cannot be ignored. Choosing refurbished electronics over new helps companies cut waste, reduce energy usage, support circular supply chains, build brand reputation, and align with stakeholder values. As more organizations wake up to these manifold advantages, they continue accelerating the adoption of refurbished electronics across all business areas. Given the massive scale of enterprise technology usage, even small shifts to refurbished models can positively impact progress toward global environmental goals. Businesses certainly have a pivotal role to play in this critical transition.
Author Bio – Written by Olivia Benson from Pure IT Refurbished. They are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of refurbished IT equipment.
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