'Resellers shouldn't be allowed to shrug off the issue' - Stone Group boss pens open letter calling for 'urgent action' against e-waste

Director Tim Westbrook claims resellers must be subject to stricter regulations to stop problem escalating

Stone Group has demanded that IT resellers do more to combat the problem of e-waste and has penned an open letter to the government calling for intervention to tackle the issue.

According to the UN's Global E-waste Monitor 2020, 53.6mn tonnes of electronic waste was generated worldwide in 2019, an increase of 21 per cent from five years previous, with only 17.4 per cent of e-waste being collected and recycled.

And the reseller argues that "urgent action" is needed to reduce the problem, calling for "real direction" from the UK government to "cement the vital change needed".

It calls for waste from electrical and electronic equipment compliance to become mandatory for all equipment resellers, while arguing that they should be able to demonstrate that they work with a fully accredited zero to landfill partner if unable to take ownership of the IT asset disposal process.

The Stafford-based business also wants IT resellers to be forced to make both the volume of equipment collected from customers, and what has been done with it, available to the public each year.

"Resellers should no longer be allowed to shrug off the issue or blindly outsource IT asset disposal to a third party with little or no knowledge of what happens to it next," director Tim Westbrook says.

"We believe that these additions to the law will help to tackle the e-waste issue from the roots, and massively reduce the volume of IT hardware being released into and damaging the environment.

"For years, resellers have profited from the sale of technology and contributed to the e-waste challenge, now they should be forced to play their role in tackling and mitigating it."

Westbrook adds that the problem has led to the creation of "the ‘informal recycling industry' and ‘e-waste farms' in developing nations and third world countries", which he says has led to vulnerable people including young children endangering their health for "pitiful payments".

He also praises the introduction of the "right to repair" law which is due to come in this summer but insists that more still needs to be done.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CRN TECH IMPACT CAMPAIGN AND AWARDS HERE

"The shocking volume of e-waste being generated shows no signs of slowing, with researchers estimating that the global e-waste mountain will grow to 74.7 million metric tonnes by 2030," he added.

"That's more damage to the environment, wildlife, habitats, crops, and human health - particularly that of vulnerable and poverty-stricken children in third world countries."