By Neil Vowles, 15 August 2008 11:27
NEWS
Nottingham University is sending its old computers on a retirement trip to Chile.
The university has donated 500 out-of-use PCs and laptops to rural schools in the South American country with the help of charity Computer Aid International.
The computers could now be used for up to four years by students in northern Chile to gain vital computer skills.
Phil Andrews, of Nottingham University's IT operations team, said: "Instead of being broken down and recycled, our PCs are given a new lease of life to help disadvantaged communities.
"As a prestigious education establishment in a wealthy country it's great to know that our old equipment is being used to boost education in other parts of the world.
"We can also communicate our corporate social responsibility efforts to staff and students, to ensure they know how the University is helping disadvantaged students."
Louise Richards, CEO of Computer Aid International, added that while Chile was a prosperous country in the region, it suffers from uneven wealth distribution.
She said: "Government-run schemes to increase access to ICT in education have made good headway, but children in extreme geographical regions in Chile face a gaping digital divide.
"Maintaining provision of good quality ICT equipment to schools is essential to ensure children grow up computer literate to improve their employability and future quality of life."
All of the computers were tested by Computer Aid International prior to being shipped to Chile. Any products deemed too old, defective or not guaranteed to be useful for three more years were disposed of at treatment facilities within Europe with no waste going to landfill.
Comments
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1. anonymous
In the age of £100 laptops and ePC's with 12 months manufacturers warranty on them etc, I find it staggering that donating old 'unfit for purpose' IT equipment and transporting it halfway round the world is still go-er, before you even get to area's of licencing, data security of what is left on on the hard discs, differing power and environmental conditions etc.
Sound like it is financially cheaper to do this than pay for WEEE compliant disposal in the UK.
At end-of-life 2 in Chile, what then happens to the kit then. Is it shipped back to the UK for disposal, or will it get lobbed into an Andean landfill. If the haven't the money for IT kit, I strongly doubt they have an appropriate electronics disposal/recycling facility.
What hope for any local IT businesses in Chile, just like sending 2nd hand clothes to Africa, which kills local clothing industry.
Shocking. Auditable environmentally sound recycling in the UK should be the best and only choice on the cards.
2. anonymous
I am writing from Brazil, where they say "Sabemos o que aprecia?" (do we know what you need). The need across South America is for PCs that are cheap to run. "Old PCs" = "energy-greedy PCs". And it is getting harder for the developing world to generate the energy to run old PCs. Isn't it the same for you in the North of the world? So please if you are sending PCs to schools, send first the low-energy models.