EVENTS

Dell has demonstrated its commitment to the environment by running free computer equipment recycling events for consumers in Australia and New Zealand. At each event, Dell has invited members of the public to drop off computing equipment such as monitors, keyboards, printers and mice for free, environmentally sound recycling.

Dell started its computer recycling events program at Cromer Public School on Sydney's northern beaches in November 2005. About 30 volunteers from Dell, Dell recycling partner MRI (Aust) Pty Ltd, Incharge and the school collected 9.6 tonnes of unwanted equipment, including 312 obsolete cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors.

A second event in Brisbane in May 2006, held in conjunction with the EcoCentre at Griffith University, saw residents dispose of 9.5 tonnes of used equipment. Three quarters of the equipment dated from 2000 or earlier and eight percent from the 1970s and 1980s.

In September 2006, residents of Wellington, NZ turned up in force to recycle 51.5 tonnes or 4,200 pieces of used computing equipment. About 40 volunteers from Dell, Ministry for the Environment (MFE), Computer Access NZ (CANZ), Remarkit Solutions, MRI and the Dominion Post helped more than 1,250 carloads of people dispose of their old computers, monitors and accessories.

The following month at an event held in conjunction with the University of Melbourne, Dell recovered 400 unwanted desktop and laptop computers, printers and monitors. This brought the volume of equipment retrieved by Dell at its four free recycling days to that point to almost 75 tonnes.

Dell held the next event in Perth at Murdoch University on 25 November and residents dropped off more than 12.5 tonnes of computing equipment for recycling.

Canberra residents responded strongly to the event held in the ACT in May 2007, which resulted in the largest haul for Australia. Run in partnership with the Australian National University the event collected 36.5 tonnes of computer scrap.

Adelaide City Council and Dell teamed up for an event in Adelaide on 29th March 2008 at the Torrens Parade Ground. Almost 17 tonnes were collected from 445 cars that participated and dropped off old computers, monitors and printers. Again, another wonderful response from the community.

All seven free consumer recycling days have resulted in a total collection of over 140 tonnes.

These events helped lay the groundwork for events such as New Zealand's eDay in September 2007 involving 12 drop-off centres from Invercargill to Auckland. 7,000 cars dropped off over 26,000 sizeable computer items such as monitors, CPUs and printers. Altogether, a total of 415 tonnes of e-waste was diverted from landfills and shipped for recycling.

"We really appreciated Dell's leadership in developing this very successful community event for raising public awareness of the hazardous nature of e-waste and the damage it can do to our environment if disposed of inappropriately. We also value Dell's practical support for our eDay," national organiser Laurence Zwimpfer said at the time. To mark eDay, Dell offered New Zealanders 10 per cent off a new Dell Inspiron laptop or desktop as well as contributing directly towards the cost of the event.