Equico Eco launches, helping schools cut costs and improve sustainability
Wednesday 23 March 2011, 12:43PM
By Equico
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Technology finance specialist, Equico, launched its Equico-Eco initiative at Richmond Road Primary School in Auckland yesterday, marking the start of a campaign to improve the sustainability of New Zealand’s schools.
Equico-Eco is a free programme that enables schools to dispose of ICT equipment in an environmentally friendly way. Under the initiative, electronic waste, including PCs and monitors, is collected directly from participating schools, before being disposed of using cutting-edge recycling technology.
“Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing challenges facing the environment today. As a key supplier of technology equipment to New Zealand schools, Equico is committed to helping our schools dispose of old and unused technology equipment in a safe, inexpensive and sustainable way,” says Equico Managing Director, Paul Beattie.
Stephanie Anich, Principal of Richmond Road School says that Equico Eco is a positive step in enabling New Zealand schools to be more sustainable.
“Schools are acutely aware of the need to look after the interests of future generations and Equico Eco is an important step in the helping achieve this goal.
“We are proud to have such a worthwhile initiative launched at our school. Our students are becoming increasingly environmentally aware and responsible, and as a school, we strive to be as sustainable as possible. In some instances schools face significant barriers when attempting to dispose of their outdated technology equipment in an environmentally friendly way, so we are grateful to Equico for providing this free service and helping us to recycle our old IT goods,” Ms Anich says.
An estimated 60 schools are expected to take part in the two week long initiative.
Equico Eco was first run in 2009, collecting an estimated total of 300m3 and 50 tonnes of e-waste from 200 schools. This is enough waste to span the Auckland Harbour Bridge from end to end (1km).
More information about Equico-Eco is available at www.equico.co.nz