NRC, Dell Partner to Promote Best Practices

This year, Dell has collected more than 700 tons of unwanted computer equipment for donation and recycling during its Dell Recycling National Tour of 13 U.S. cities, including Dallas, Nashville, Philadelphia, Miami and Portland, Ore.  The Denver event collected a record 200 tons of computer equipment.  Three collection events remain: Lexington, Ky., June 28; Orlando, Fla., July 5; and Atlanta, July 12.  Also this year, the company launched an affordable computer recycling program for U.S. consumers that offers convenient at-home pick-up.

Dell and NRC are developing the research and publication of “Best Practices for Computer Recycling” and a special outreach tool kit for municipal and university recycling coordinators.  Dell and NRC also plan to pilot a special two-day training session for recycling coordinators that includes hands-on management of a computer recycling collection event at a major university.  Customer response to the Dell Recycling tour demonstrates the success of recycling events.  Dell’s work with NRC will share key learnings from the tour so that any community can stage a successful event. 

"NRC can help bridge the education gap through this Dell partnership. Our members run recycling programs in thousands of communities across the nation and are struggling with the challenge of effective collection of electronics waste," Kate Krebs, executive director of the National Recycling Coalition, says.

Under the partnership, NRC will continue to educate its extensive national network of 20 state affiliates and more than 4,000 member recycling organizations and advocates around the country about electronics recycling.

"This partnership opens the dialogue with recycling coordinators about our shared responsibility to find a sustainable solution for computer waste," Pat Nathan, Dell’s senior environmental executive, says. “At Dell, we believe no computer should go to waste.  By working hand-in-hand with recycling professionals, we can explore solutions for U.S. businesses and consumers that will avoid landfill disposal for the 250 million computers that the EPA estimates will become obsolete by 2005.”