eWeek Europe: Dell Tightens E-waste Policies

Computer maker Dell claims that it is tightening up its policies around the export of so-called e-waste to the developing world but critics say this does not go far enough.

The company announced on Tuesday that it has become the first computer maker to ban the export of non-working electronics. "Dell is casting a much wider net. We broadly defined waste as non working parts and devices - irrespective of composition - we are banning the export of that waste from any OECD country to any non-OECD country either directly or through intermediaries," said Mark Newton, Dell's senior manager for environmental sustainability.

The 30 member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development include the UK, US and Australia.

However, while the computer maker said it wants to clamp down on the export of devices that are sure to be broken down for scrap, Dell said that it does make the distinction between broken machines and parts and workable PCs which may be donated by organisations in the developed world for use by deserving causes in the developing world.

"We recognise that developing countries have a need for clean resources and functioning equipment therefore Dell's definition of waste does not include material deemed not hazardous by the Basel convention, working equipment, and parts that are not destined for recycling but reuse or resale," said Newton.

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