According to the World Economic Forum, e-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, with about 50 million tons of electronic and electrical refuse produced each year. That amount is expected to double by 2050, largely driven by the IoT and the demand for connected devices. Hybrid work environments, online learning, and technologically advanced vehicles are increasing the volume of retired assets. In a world where environmental sustainability is only increasing in importance, the ability to reuse IT equipment — instead of destroying or even recycling it — plays a critical role in companies’ sustainability strategies. This is where IT asset disposition (ITAD) comes in: where asset life spans are extended by redeploying them for alternate uses. According to Market Research Future, the global ITAD market is anticipated to reach $27 billion at a 12% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 2025.
ITAD’s prominence — and importance — are growing. In 2016, a major hyperscale cloud provider announced that several of their sites were working to divert 100% of their datacenter waste from landfills, in part by extending the life of the equipment through ITAD. Without a robust ITAD plan, companies will struggle to meet their sustainability goals.