Circular economy

The circular economy is an economic model that seeks to keep materials in use rather than extracting, using and discarding them.

Applied to digital equipment

The hierarchy of options runs from most to least desirable:

1. Reduce: do not acquire what is not needed ;
2. Reuse and refurbish: the only route that avoids manufacturing a new device ;
3. Repair: extend useful life by replacing components ;
4. Recycle: recover materials, with substantial losses ;
5. Recover energy or dispose.

The order matters. Recycling is often presented as the answer, but it sits fourth: it recovers only part of the material, and does so at an energy cost.

Obstacles specific to digital equipment

Glued assemblies, soldered components and limited spare part availability restrict repair. Software support duration frequently ends before the hardware fails, which makes a functioning device unusable. Secure data erasure conditions whether reuse is possible at all.

See also

• End of life · Manufacturing · Sustainable IT · Digital sobriety