Charity Computer Aid International says the new WEEE directive guidelines offer the computer industry a huge opportunity to reduce its carbon footprint at the same time as reducing its cost of compliance by donating PCs for charitable re-use.

The latest WEEE implementation guidelines published on 28 February place a clear obligation on producers to prioritise the re-use of PCs as whole appliances over recycling or disassembly.

But the charity says some producer compliance schemes (PCS) damage the environment by recycling - such as dismantling or shredding - working computers when they should be prioritising PC re-use as required by the new legislation.

Tony Roberts, chief executive of Computer Aid, says the charity is urging PCS, manufacturers, retailers, distributors and individual IT users to work in partnership with the charity to bridge the digital divide at the same time as meeting the new legal requirement to prioritise re-use.

'These guidelines represent an important crossroads for the computer industry. We want to get the message across to producers, distributors and businesses that by donating their PCs to Computer Aid they can ensure full compliance with the WEEE legislation and give the PCs a new lease of life where they are most needed in poor countries,' said Roberts.

Empirical research from UN University in Tokyo proves that re-use of computers is much better for the environment than recycling. The research by Professor Williams at the United Nations University shows that re-using a computer is 20 times more effective at saving lifecycle energy use than recycling. The new study found that the production of every desktop PC consumes 240kg of fossil fuels, 22 kg of chemicals and 1.5 tonnes of water.

'When, in order to remain competitive, a company replaces a computer after just three or four years we must secure that still-working PC for charitable re-use,' said Roberts.

'Schools and universities in Africa using a PC professionally refurbished by Computer Aid International will enjoy another three or four years productive PC usage. Doubling the effective life of a PC in this way halves its environmental footprint.'

The latest guidelines are very clear in directing PCS to work with ‘genuine re-use organisations’ with the appropriate waste management licences or registered exemptions.

They must refurbish the equipment and make it available for re-use, having tested it to the appropriate safety standards. The guidelines also require producers to report on such partnerships recording volumes and percentages of PCs provided for re-use.