An overview of green recycling
The importance of green recycling of computer components with regard to chemical engineering
An insight in to the various forms of recycling
The types of computer hardware recycled
Findings of previous research
Green companies that produce computers
Companies that first embraced the idea
Companies currently using the idea
Who is doing green recycling?
The firms undertaking green computing
Green recycling and computing in Saudi Arabia
Why the practice is not yet well established in the country.
Introduction
Green recycling of computer components also referred to as green computing refers to the re-use of various computer hardware components by both firms and individual consumers (Baldant & Stairs, 2011). Putting already used computers in to re-use may take various forms including donating them as part of the charity programs to the less fortunate in society or to learning institutions in the third world countries that are fast embracing technology. Individual consumer recycling usually entails the user of a computer returning it to the original assembling company where it is dismantled and used as a secondary material in making new computers or taking it to a recognized green computing firm for refurbishment. Recycling by large organizations involves the organizing of big pick up events where households bring their obsolete computer hardware. The firms pick them up in masses and use them as secondary materials in the making of innovative hardware. This paper seeks to explain the concept of green computing, focusing on the importance of the concept and explaining the extent to which Saudi Arabia has embraced the idea.
The importance of green recycling of computer components with regard to chemical engineering
Just like recycling of materials in any other industry, reprocessing the computer components comes with quite a number of merits and rarely any setbacks. Green computing is an eco-friendly idea. This can be explained by the fact that most of chemicals and substances used in the manufacture of computer hardware are not environmentally friendly especially when disposed off in an inappropriate manner. Computer experts have established that an average computer Cathode Ray Tube, CRT monitor contains up to one kilogram of lead (Webber & Wallace, 2009). Lead contains chemical components that once released in to the soil bring detrimental effects to plants and groundwater.
Groundwater sustains the lives of many living organisms besides the plant life. Additionally, Ground water sips to the surface and becomes part of the water we employ in our daily activities including cleaning and consumption. As such, the computer components affect the human race in the long run.
Recycled computer components are very essential sources of secondary raw materials. With the rate at which the world is embracing technology, the demand for computers is on the rise by the day (Vermaat, S2001). As such the raw materials are becoming scarcer as all manufacturers are in the race for acquiring sufficient lead, gold and copper. It therefore, becomes apparent even to the untrained person that, recycling the computer components is the single most important option to purchasing the raw materials to be utilized in manufacturing of new computers. Research shows that it is even more cost-effective to recycle than to source for new materials. It is the goal of all organizations to minimize on costs and maximize on revenues. Green recycling of computer components is one of the avenues to achieving this goal.
A research conducted in the United States of America established that approximately forty million Cathode Ray Tube monitors were lying in the waste. The study established most of the dumping was done by households. The study carried out by computer experts and environmentalists found out that the amount of computer hardware that was lying in waste contained very many tones of lead (Shoult, 2006). The study, in its analysis explained that such huge amounts of led could be used in the manufacture and assembly of more than fifty thousand average desktop computers. This shows the number of desktop hardware that can be salvaged from the waste computers.
The same study established that 20% of computers and related hardware were recycled in the United States of America. This was attributed to the government’s efforts in enlightening people on the quantity of computers that can be made out of the salvage value of the waste dumped and on the need to mind the environment and the ecosystems in the process of manufacturing. The computer society of Mexico has established that the amount of lead, gold and copper that is left to go to waste is worth the reclamation effort. The experts from the organization explain that computer waste can be important if they are recovered through the right procedure. If they are put into inappropriate use they can result in perils and unforeseen hazards.
Green companies that produce computers
Green companies are those organizations that conduct the green recycling of the computer components. Some of these companies use the recycled computer components to make new computers. They do so through a process of renovating the computers, cleaning up any modification made to such computers and assembling them afresh replacing the parts that are complete write-offs. The types of computer hardware that are recycled in most cases include such hardware as the computer cables, the speakers and such things as the DVD drives and printers (Leonard & Murray, 2011). One feature that makes these the best types for the recycle process is that they are versatile in as far as use in the different types of computers is concerned. They can therefore be repaired to be used by users who own computers made by different manufacturers.
The firms that first started the adoption of this idea were Nokia and Sony Ericson that order. Nokia came up with the innovative idea after having carried out an extensive study on the benefits of the idea of recycling computer hardware. The company’s group of experts came up with conclusions that the recycled parts were more economical compared to buying or making new hardware to be used in the manufacture of mobile phones, computer devices and other innovative electronic devices. As a result, recycling became part of the decision options available to the cost accounting department of Nokia which formerly had only two options: make or buy (Leonard & Murray, 2011). After the incorporation of the idea, recycling became part of the decisions and was in fact found to be the friendliest approach with regard to the costs incurred by the firm in the manufacture of computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices.
As a result of adopting the technology of green recycling, the Nokia Corporation gained an overwhelming competitive advantage over other firms in the industry. This made it edge high above other competitors such as Samsung, Sony Ericson and apple, Inc. after benchmarking on Nokia, Sony Ericson embarked on the same strategy and just as Nokia had gained, Sony Ericson was a success. Besides these companies, there are other firms that began purely as green recycling firms. They were and are still referred to as the green firms. Such firms work using processes referred to as eco-friendly processes, this are processes that are planned in line with environmental preservation policies (Harris, 2008). One such company is Apple, Inc. which is currently pioneering innovative ideas. Apple employs the best technology today and has the most innovative products such as the iPad.
Who exactly is doing green recycling?
Green recycling is carried out by various individuals and entities in many countries. Talking of America, which has long embraced the idea of green computing and recycling, the practice is carried out by various licensed computer firms. Basically, the recycling of computer components is pre-dominantly practiced by various Information Technology firms (Jorgen, 2011). However, it is worth noting that for one to practice the idea, they have to be licensed by the relevant authority. The legal frameworks may vary from state to state, but there are computing authorities that are concerned with governing such activities.
Across the United States, some of the most renowned firms in the field of green recycling and computing include such firms as: All Green, IT Green, SIR International Corp and verdant computing corporation. Proficiency in computer applications is the most noteworthy thing in the practice of green recycling. Government agencies through communication and technology departments do practice recycling by organizing annual pickups around the commercial and residential areas. Computer experts and chemical engineers have organized campaigns to sensitize the populace on the essence of green recycling.
Recycling computer components in Saudi Arabia
Recycling of computer components has not yet taken root in Saudi Arabia as it has in the other developed nations. This is owing to the extent to which Saudi Arabia has embraced technology. Green recycling calls for advanced technology and skilled technical knowhow. Saudi Arabia has concentrated the government efforts on the trading of oil. As such the technology employed in the country is not computer oriented as such. Much as there are some private enterprises dealing in the green recycling business, the idea has not been embraced to the extent of understanding its role with regard to chemical engineering (Harris, 2008). Chemical engineers in this country have not come up studies on the topic of green recycling. The legal frame work in the country has not provided for recycling entrepreneurs. At least, there is no record of large scale green recycling in Saudi Arabia.
References
Baldant, K & Stairs, R (2011) Suceeding with Technology: Computer, Concepts for Your Life. New York. Cengage Learning.
Harris, J (2008) Green Computing and IT: Best Practices. New York. John Wiley and Sons
Jorgen, F. (2011). Making a Green Machine: The Making of a Beverage Container. New York. Cengage Learning
Leonard, W & Murray, K (2011) Green Computing For Dummies. New York. Sage Publications
Shoult, A (2006) Doing Business with Saudi Arabia (3rd Edition) .London. GMB Publishing Ltd.
Vermaat, S (2001). Discovering Computers: Living In a Digital World. New York. Cengage Learning.
Webber, L & Wallace, M (2009) Green Tech: How to Plan and Implement Sustainable IT Solutions. New York. Amacom Books
