Environment

WEEE is the European Union Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. It states that companies must no longer simply dispose of obsolete, redundant and surplus electrical equipment in landfill. Any products, such as PCs, monitors and laptops, sold after 13 August 2005 will be affected by the new legislation.

David Sogan, CEO and founder of Digital Links International, said: "Many businesses are unaware of this new directive and haven't begun to consider how they will dispose of their unwanted computers. Digital Links International represents a low cost way of managing their redundant equipment and gives them the added knowledge that their computers will help transform the educational and economic opportunities of thousands of young people in Africa and other developing countries."

Since being founded in 2002, Digital Links International has distributed more than 15,000 computers to over 1000 schools and other institutions in 15 different countries, making it one of the largest and most successful organisations in the sector. This improved access has led to increased education and economic opportunities for more than 400,000 people, with the aim for 2005 to being to pass the 1million beneficiaries milestone.

Digital Links International's reputation in the UK is based on the safe and efficient handling of redundant PC's. Donors are safe in the knowledge that the PC's hard drives will be cleared of any sensitive information, by being professionally sanitised to GCHQ standards, and that the organisation complies with all existing and proposed environmental legislation.

Donors to the scheme have already included DHL, Ford, Reuters, Shell, Barclays, Centrica, Research Machines, Bupa, Unicef, Commercial Transfer, Allsop, Turner Broadcasting System and the Guardian. Every donor receives detailed feedback on how their equipment is being used to benefit others.

Digital Links International also sets up and trains local distribution partners to provide ongoing support and is instrumental in the development of innovative new products, such as solar laptops for rural schools and clinics, in an effort to combat the barriers that have traditionally stifled access to IT. In addition, Digital Links International is piloting an environmental program to break down and
recycle end of life machines in Africa.

Contact details and information:
Digital Links: http://www.digital-links.org/  or telephone 020 7785 6260
WEEE Directive: http://www.dti.gov.uk/sustainability/weee/ or telephone 020 7215 5000

The minimum amount for donations to Digital Links International is 25+ items (base units or monitors) with the following minimum specifications: Pentium II processor (P350MHz) / 64 Mb of RAM / 4Gb Hard
Drive / 15" Monitor

The WEEE Directive seeks to place the costs and burden of disposal on producers of equipment. However, Article 9 provides for producers to meet the cost of disposal from "users other than private households", but also provides for agreements stipulating other financing methods. Business customers are being warned that suppliers may try to shift the disposal costs onto them.

Digital Links International was established in September 2002 and registered as a not for profit company limited by guarantee in the UK (Reg No: 45327052). In August 2003 they became a registered charity in the UK (Charity Reg. No: 1098929).

• � To advance the education of the inhabitants of Sutherland by training volunteers in Information Technology skills for both the use of computer facilities and the refurbishment of IT equipment.
• � To protect the natural environment by reusing and recycling otherwise redundant, but serviceable computers, and in doing so minimise waste and reducing landfill.
• � To supply refurbished, recycled computers to individuals, community groups and voluntary organisations that have a demonstrable need for such facilities but have limited resources.