Proven for the first time: Reconditioning of laptops etc. protects the climate and saves valuable resources

Cologne. The reconditioning of PCs and notebooks, as offered by Interseroh, makes a significant contribution to protecting the climate and saving natural resources. This has now been proven scientifically for the first time in a research project at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) which was completed on behalf of INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH.

According to the research, reconditioning a single notebook saves 181 kilograms of primary resources, and also prevents the emission of around 154 kilograms of climate-damaging gases. That is equivalent to the emissions that result from driving about 1,100 kilometres in an average passenger car – or all the way from Berlin to Munich and back again. Reconditioning a PC is even more effective: it enables 387 kilograms of primary resources and 229 kilograms of climate-damaging resources to be saved. The researchers based their calculations on the assumption that the devices are used for 3.5 years each by their first owner and their second owner.

“By extending the lifetime of these devices, we are making a major contribution to ensuring that the principles of sustainability and the prevention of waste also become established in the area of information technology,” explains Jan Höschel, Director of the Business Center ReUse at INTERSEROH Dienstleistungs GmbH. “Through the reconditioning of their equipment, our customers can also demonstrate their targeted savings at any time with one of the certificates that we compile.”

“In terms of the Circular Economy, the reuse of products is the best option from the point of view of resources because it conserves the greatest possible value of the products to be maintained,” explains Dr Markus Hiebel, Head of Department Sustainability and Resources Management at Fraunhofer UMSICHT. “Subsequent to the reuse of the device, the additional use of spare parts can follow, and then the recycling of the valuable materials that it contains”.

The service offered by Interseroh is aimed at companies whose IT and communication devices frequently have a short useful life, even though they are mostly still functional. The subsidiary of recycling specialist ALBA Group buys these devices and organises all of the steps along their journey to reuse. This encompasses their collection throughout Europe and the secure and certified deletion of data and/or destruction of data carriers, including the detailed reporting. If the data carriers are defective or cannot be used for other reasons, the provider of environmental services will organise their professional disposal. Following the reconditioning, a conclusive analysis and functional tests take place, ensuring that high quality reconditioned devices only make it back onto the market.

Interseroh offers the customer a choice of three options for the marketing: the resale to employees at company terms and conditions via a shop solution, the sale to private customers or the donation of the devices for a charitable purpose.

Further information on the ReUse offer from Interseroh is available here:

https://www.interseroh.de/en/services/reuse/it-and-communication-equipment/

Free use of the attached picture is authorised, provided the source "ALBA Group" is acknowledged.