Scottish Governments “Making Things to Last” strategy describes how priorities are moving towards a more circular economy, where products and materials are kept in high value use for as long as possible.
Re-Tek was founded on the core principles of the circular economy and at the heart of our processes is the desire to extend the lifecycle of all products that we process.
Work with Policy-makers
In 2017, Re-Tek signed up to the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Sustainability Action Plan 2025 (esap 2025), and we have since worked with WRAP and Zero Waste Scotland to further develop our business to be at the forefront of initiatives driving a more circular economy in the UK. Re-Tek and many other best practice companies are working in an environment where the Government (with partners) has been recognised globally as being at the cutting edge of the circular economy – with Scotland winning the “Circular Economy Governments, Cities and Regions” award in Davos in 2017.
Incentivised Return Business Model
Re-Tek’s incentivised return business model and reverse logistics have been recognised by Zero Waste Scotland and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation as examples of best practice, and the processes have been described in case studies.
Infrastructure to Support Circular Logistics
In 2015 – 2016, in collaboration with Enscape, and funded through Innovate UK, we explored new collection infrastructure, recognising that residents in the United Kingdom had limited options for disposing of their technology responsibly and securely. We wanted to ensure that the collection infrastructure that we installed met the needs of local residents. We have since linked with a number of charities, local authorities, private businesses and educational establishments, to ensure that residents have access to secure collection points across Scotland, and we are looking to expand our donation points.
Leasing Pre-loved PCs and Laptops
Our latest venture will enable us to go a step further to ensure that the equipment that we process is used to its optimum throughout its lifespan. We are proud to introduce “Lease-Tek”, the UK’s first leasing service that enables organisations to lease, high specification, refurbished equipment. The service is ideally suited for SME’s and charities with no up-front costs, access to a technical support line and low monthly fees. Leasing equipment also enables us as an organisation to ensure that when the technology no longer meets the needs of its current owner, we can maximise its use, by relocating it to an alternative organisation that has a lower specification requirement or ensuring that it is recycled. Lease-Tek also reduces potential risks from data breaches as we retain ownership throughout the lifespan of the product.
We have worked with a number of partners to help us deliver our plans for a more sustainable future.
To find out more about our work within the circular economy or to find out about our new leasing service, please contact us.