Product reuse and recycling

Over a billion PCs are in use worldwide, and the number is expected to reach nearly 2 billion by 2014.¹ As the number of electronic products increases, so does the challenge of managing them responsibly when they are no longer wanted.

Reusing a product extends its life and maximizes its value. But eventually all IT equipment reaches the end of its useful life, and recycling services are then essential for responsible end-of-life management. Recycling minimizes environmental impacts associated with waste disposal and reduces the need for raw materials and energy to manufacture new products.²

HP is committed to increasing the volume of our products reused, recycled and diverted from landfill. We operate recycling services in 56 countries or territories worldwide. In the United States we also launched a buyback program in January 2009 that includes free recycling if an HP-branded system had no value for consumers. We estimate that we avoided 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions in 2009 through our recycling activities.³

We strive to develop and manage sustainable and cost-effective programs, and we are accountable for and transparent regarding the volume of products we reuse and recycle. To that end, we monitor and measure our vendors’ performance to mitigate HP’s risk as well as our customers’, and to minimize the environmental, health and safety impacts of recycling. Our approach also helps us address regional and local legislation, such as the European Union Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, requiring discarded electronic equipment to be recycled.

HP works with a network of vendors to process, resell and recycle products returned to us. We audit vendors to ensure they conform with our standards and policies as well as our Supplier Code of Conduct . See Vendor audits for more information.) We are working with governments and nongovernmental organizations in developing countries to boost capacity to properly repair and recycle unwanted electronic equipment.

Businesses and consumers increasingly choose manufacturers that offer responsible options for used equipment. HP supports individual producer responsibility (IPR), in which all manufacturers share with governments and customers the responsibility to manage IT products at the end of their useful lives.

We engage with governments to develop appropriate legislation. HP supported an IPR approach in the development of the European Union’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive as well as legislation in countries in North America and Asia.

The export and dumping of electronic waste is increasingly recognized as posing a risk to environmental and human health. To avoid illegal dumping of electronic waste, HP does not allow returned products to be exported from developed countries to developing countries for recycling. HP’s Policy on Export of Electronic Waste to Developing Countries has more information.

1. ¹" Forecast: PC Installed Base, Worldwide, 2005-2014, October 2009 Update ", Gartner Research Paper No. G00172111, 2009.
2. ² Throughout this report, product "reuse" or "remarketing" refers to the return to use of complete electronic products and component parts. "Recycling" refers to the processing of waste electronic devices and consumable items for recovery of materials or energy.
3. ³ According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Waste Reduction Model (WARM) Tool, CO₂e reductions from recycling are calculated per the following formula: 1.858 kg CO₂e/kg recovered electronic waste.