Dell Announces Environmental Goals

In 2005 Dell committed to increasing product recovery from customers by 50 percent as measured by weight. According to the company, growth of Dell’s Asset Recovery Services in the United States helped it to recover more than 24 million pounds of used product from customers, a 234 percent increase from 2004 results. Dell recovered nearly 66 million pounds of product worldwide in 2004.

Dell says that it expects its asset recovery growth rates to grow more modest over time, but that it remains committed to increasing product recovery. The company has set another goal for fiscal year 2006 to achieve a 50 percent product recovery increase.

“Dell is committed to making product recovery as convenient and affordable as product purchase for customers and to continually increasing the amount of used product our Asset Recovery Service recovers,” Ken Hashman, Dell’s Managed Services vice president, says.

Dell has also set three targets for its design for environment (DfE) initiatives:

·        Enable the avoidance of 10 million tons of CO2 emissions by fiscal year 2008 through improved energy efficiency;

·        Avoid the use of 52,000 tons of lead and 33,000 tons of brominated flame redardants by fiscal year 2008 through global compliance with the EU’s Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive and a shift toward liquid crystal display monitors; and

·        Avoid the use of 43,000 tons of product packaging and shipping materials by fiscal year 2008 through product size reduction and packaging efficiencies.

 Dell recently introduced its new OptiPlex product line, which take steps toward RoHS compliance by featuring lead-free power supplies, motherboards and chassis.

The company says it plans to meet RoHS requirements before the July 2006 deadline.  

Information on Dell’s environmental and social initiatives is available in its annual “Sustainability Report” at www.dell.com/environment.