Leveling Up & Clearing Out

A credit to our sustainability committee, B&A’s tech recycling event leveraged the most responsible approach to dispose of obsolete equipment while cleaning out valuable storage space.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports US consumers and businesses discard 2.37 million tons of electronic waste annually. However, only 25% of discarded electronics are recycled responsibly. The remainder ends up in landfills and incinerators and, in some cases, illegally exported to developing countries. Recycling electronics responsibly protects the environment and people from contaminants such as lead and mercury.

To avoid contributing to this issue, B&A’s sustainability group organized an event for employees to dispose of old devices. Teaming up with PROSHRED, B&A facilitated the safe, efficient and environmentally-conscious disposal of electronics including 126 hard drives, 59 laptops, 43 keyboards, 39 monitors, 34 computer towers, 12 tablets and seven printers.

Cris Heras, IT administrator, ensured the erasure of data on all devices before relinquishing them for proper disposal. The effort served a dual purpose as it cleared out valuable storage space in the main office, the yard and our annex building at Wood & Armitage.

At RockCity’s office, Samantha Frogge, project engineer, spearheaded an in-office recycling program. The first step eliminated single-use plastic. RockCity has instituted the use of reusable plates, silverware and glassware in the office. They also traded their Keurig machine for a communal coffee pot. While modest, these changes have a sizable impact and significantly reduce waste.