The RLS Recycle-IT Programme is our way of contributing to a sustainable future by adopting recycling technologies as well as policies and procedures that helps us and our customers work towards a cleaner, safer environment.

We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint by using different types of technology and simple methods that all can adopt to aid the reduction of global warming.

Please take the time to read through our policy statements and understand our aims and objectives, if you need help with some of the terminology you will find a glossary at the end, alternatively for more information you can email us or signup for our FREE NEWSLETTER.

By offering in-store take-back of old equipment when customers buy a replacement item, RLS can assure their customers that it will be properly disposed of. Consumer’s can return an item free of charge, on a like-for-like and one-to-one basis. This is providing that the WEEE returned is of equivalent type to, and has fulfilled the same function as the new EEE that is purchased.

For example, an old PC & Monitor can be returned when purchasing a new PC & Monitor, regardless of the brand and where the old one was originally purchased.

It is our responsibility thereafter as a retailer taking back WEEE to return it for recycling through a fully qualified member of a waste producer compliance scheme, and delivering it to them for treatment.

Alternatively if the unit still functions consider contacting one of the many reuse providers throughout the UK.

This excludes our commercial, business customers whose IT we manage under contract and have an Asset Management scheme in place.

Every year over 400 million ink and toner cartridges and mobile phones are simply thrown away. These end up on landfill sites causing damage to our environment.

RLS know that electrical goods are the fastest growing waste stream in the UK, growing by 5% each year this includes printers and mobile phones, so as part of our Recycle-IT initiative we now offer a simple method of disposing of used ink, toner cartridges as well as mobile phones. Simply take these items to one of the collection points listed below and deposit them in the box provided, alternatively collect a FREEPOST envelope, stick your used item in and post it back. The service is provided through The Recycling Factory, Lincolnshire.

All monies raised from this scheme goes to Save the Children.

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From time to time we collect computer technology that can’t be repaired and the customer doesn’t want to replace it; this type of waste is difficult to classify through the normal WEEE directive. However RLS are committed to the safe disposal of ALL IT waste and return it for recycling through a fully qualified member of a waste producer compliance scheme.

Customers are urged that any item not covered by our Take-Back scheme to dispose of the item personally via one of the approved local authority household waste recycling centres. Click here for more information.

We also apply our own recycling service and reuse as much of the technology in providing a low cost alternative to customers from purchasing new, this mainly applies to memory, hard drives and optical drives (like CDROM, CD/DVDRW).

Another addition to our customer service is the facility to recycle CD & DVD discs and their associated packaging. Service provider PRL take the media from us in its entirety and process 100% of the product without the use of chemicals and in a totally secure environment.

Customers should be aware that RLS take data security very serious and provide top class data erasing to approved government standards as part of our suite of services.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive) aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment, by increasing re-use and recycling and reducing the amount of WEEE going to landfill.
There are 10 product categories that cover the legislation, we are responsible for:

Category 3: IT & Telecommunications equipment
3a. IT and telecommunications equipment - excluding display equipment
3b. IT and telecommunications equipment - Display equipment only

The Crossed out Wheelie Bin symbol is used to show that the Electrical and Electronic Equipment was made after June 2006. It means that at the end of the life of the equipment you must dispose of it separately at an appropriate collection point and not place it in the normal domestic unsorted waste stream, which will benefit the environment for all.

RLS provide professional consultation not just to our business customers but also to our home users on safe, environmentally friendly computing. We pride ourselves on looking at ways in lowering our carbon emissions and advising customers to do the same.

One of the key methods we use in reducing emissions is providing our customers with a remote support service which typically solves 30% - 40% of all support cases, this reduces the number of times we need to go out to a customer lowering our carbon footprint and saving the customer money.

For our tips on how you can reduce your carbon footprint visit our News Blog site or for more information on CO2 emissions please visit the Carbon Footprint website.

Reuse providers

Glossary

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