By Heather Clancy,
Dell continues to raise the bar for the high-tech industry when it comes to innovative packaging choices and groundbreaking recycling initiatives.
This week, its sustainability team is disclosing details about two specific industry “firsts”, both of which are the result of close, collaborative sustainable business partnerships born in its supply chain.
First, Dell has become the second high-profile company to announce a deal with AirCarbon, an innovative plastic material from Newlight Technologies created by pulling carbon out of the air. Newlight, which last year got a $4m grant from the Department of Energy, recently announced a relationship with Sprint, under which it is making “carbon-negative” iPhone accessories.
Dell’s initial plan is to use AirCarbon for sleeves to protect new Latitude series notebooks. It connected with Newlight after a conversation with another supply chain partner, said Oliver Campbell, director of worldwide procurement at Dell.
In addition to the Newlight deal, the technology giant is turning to long-time manufacturing partner, Wistron GreenTech, to pull off another big breakthrough: becoming the first company in the IT industry to earn a closed-loop recycling validation from UL Environment.
Dell’s forthcoming OptiPlex 3030 All-in-One desktop computer (due out by June) will be the first to contain a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, collected through Dell’s ongoing electronic-waste recovery processes, the company said. The recycled e-waste material is specifically used to make parts such as the stand and the backing for the computer, according to an infographic from Dell.
“We have a long-standing commitment to conduct our business responsibly,” said Dell CEO Michael Dell, in remarks prepared for the Fortune Br
ainstorm Green conference where the initiatives were disclosed. “AirCa
rbon packaging and closed-loop recycled plastics are terrific innovations and big steps forward as we work with our customers and partners toward our 2020 goals.”
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