Today is the official Circular Electronics Day and the IIIEE is participating. For the sixth year in a row, the 24th of January means the Circular Electronics Day. The IIIEE is a participating organisation in the Circular Electronics Initiative.

The goal is to create awareness about the need for a longer life for electronic products and greater recirculation of all materials while minimizing waste. 

Circular Electronics Day is an important yearly reminder to make everyone aware that smart choices on what to buy and how to manage products throughout their life can make a big difference for the environment and human health, and can save you money.

Mark this day by learning how you manage your IT products in a circular way:

1. Extend the life of your IT products. Using products longer is the single most important thing to reduce the environmental footprint of your IT use. A single notebook computer generates around 300 kg of greenhouse gas emissions during its lifetime, of which almost 80 percent stem from the manufacturing phase. Upgrade and repair your products so they last longer and make use of the second hand/refurbish markets. If the vendor has a take-back scheme or if you are leasing the products, send the old products back so they can be handled responsibly.

2. Choose durable products. If you need a new (remember also considering the second hand market) product, choose durable products that can last longer. An easy way to do this is to look for products that carry a sustainability certification that includes robust criteria and requires independent verification. Consider climate compensate the e-waste footprint of your new product, either by recycling a product with a similar footprint or by purchasing the offsetting as a service.

3. Refurbish, remanufacture or recycle! Electronics contain valuable resources that can be reused or recycled. If it is not possible to reuse or sell your old products, send them to an extended producer responsibility scheme, an electronics recycler or a

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