Partnership ensures lockdown laptop initiative is eco-friendly

A not-for-profit company formed to supply laptops to homeschoolers from low-income families during lockdown has teamed up with a recycling firm to responsibly dispose of computers too old or damaged to be refurbished.

Wiltshire Digital Drive was set up by Westbury-based Priority IT and Corsham-based social media consultancy Naturally Social.

The community interest company has distributed 750 laptops since being formed in May last year. Laptops, which are donated by businesses and individuals, are wiped and refurbished before being donated to children through schools.

Now the not-for-profit company has joined forces with Warminster-based Blackmore Ricotech, which will collect and recycle unusable machines so the precious metals inside can be used again.

It operates a zero waste to landfill policy on all IT and technology equipment and will reuse, or recycle, 100 percent of the equipment it collects.

The useful reclaimed elements are then sold, with the money raised used to help benefit communities in the South West through Blackmore Ricotech’s own initiative, Donate IT.

Kieran Thomas, co-director of Wiltshire Digital Drive, said: “Everyone has been so generous with their donations, but unfortunately some machines were either just too old or damaged for us to refurbish.

“We’ve been working with Blackmore since last year to help recycle these machines as not only does it give us piece of mind that personal data is being destroyed securely, but it will also help us with our pledge to be 100 percent sustainable.”

Simon Barfoot, director at Blackmore Ricotech, said: “Gadgets that we throw away, like laptops, mobile phones and tablets are a rich source of precious metals.

“By recovering them we can contribute towards creating a truly circular economy. I’m excited for this partnership because it just makes sense. It will help the environment while raising money for good causes.”

Since the partnership started, 22 percent of the devices sent to Blackmore Ricotech have had parts recovered for re-use. A further 78 percent went into the recycling stream with 100 percent of the materials recovered going back into the economy to be manufactured into new products.

For more information on the work carried out by Wiltshire Digital Drive visit www.wiltshiredigitaldrive.org