Ahead of Earth Day, Dell Technologies is launching new products and sustainable materials to help address the growing issues of waste and resource constraints.
These new products and materials build on Dell’s recent reveal of Concept Luna – an ambitious prototype that explores revolutionary design ideas to reduce resource use and keep even more circular materials in the economy. The new additions show how Dell is driving progress against its sustainability goals today while providing more choice for customers who are increasingly prioritizing the environment when making purchase decisions.
“Dell’s purpose is to create technology that drives human progress. We’re inspired by the opportunity to change things for the better for our future generations. This is clear in the new ways we’re designing and packaging our products to help reduce environmental impact, waste and emissions,” said Rahul Tikoo, senior vice president, Client Product Group, Dell Technologies. “As we build on our circular leadership, we’re taking this a step further – continually examining, re-examining and reconsidering every step of the product lifecycle to deliver even more sustainable products in the future.”
The Latitude 5000 series is Dell’s highest volume PC; therefore, investments in sustainability features help ensure Dell effectively delivers impact at scale. The latest Latitude 5000 series offers even more intentional design choices to increase use of recycled and renewable content including:
· A laptop lid made from 71% recyclable and renewable materials including tree-based bioplastic upcycled from the paper making industry (21%), reclaimed carbon fiber (20%) and post-consumer recycled plastic (30%).[iii] By focusing on the second heaviest part of the device – the lid – Dell can make a larger sustainability impact, helping reduce the product’s carbon, water and energy footprint.
· The base of the system is created with reclaimed carbon fiber (20%) and new bio-based rubber feet made from castor bean oil (39%).[iv] This renewable material reduces reliance on petroleum-based materials.
· This series also marks an important milestone in Dell’s existing use of ocean-bound plastics, expanding use beyond packaging into products. The Latitude 5000 series features ocean-bound plastics in the fan housing (28%).
· Protecting the product, the Latitude 5000 series features packaging made from 100% recycled or renewable materials – all of which is 100% recyclable.[v]
Advancing sustainable materials across more products and platforms than ever before.
Over the last decade, Dell introduced a strong line-up of sustainable material innovations, including several industry-first applications. Dell is now building upon its existing efforts and partnerships with the expansion of new sustainable and renewable materials in more products and platforms.
With growing awareness of the serious environmental issues caused by plastics ending up in oceans every year, in 2017, Dell launched the industry’s first project using ocean-bound plastics to create commercial-scale packaging with the goal of capturing this waste before it enters waterways and transforming it into a resource. Since then, Dell has dramatically scaled usage – consuming over 227,000 pounds of ocean-bound plastics and using the material in over 5.1 million recyclable packaging trays and endcaps.
"Early on, Dell recognized the need for cross-industry collaboration to address the scale of the ocean-bound plastic problem, and fueled the development and launch of NextWave Plastics, the only consortium of global companies working together to build a network of ocean-bound plastic suppliers and bring value to the communities from which this material is sourced," said Dune Ives, CEO of Lonely Whale. "Today's announcement demonstrates Dell's long-term commitment to addressing the 14 million metric tons of new plastic entering the ocean every year."
In addition to expanding ocean-bound plastics to the Latitude 5000 series, it can also be found in the fan housing in our Precision 3000 series mobile workstations, and in the fan and fan housing in Dell OptiPlex Micro desktops and Precision Workstations.[vi] Dell has also extended use of this material in its EcoLoop Pro series of backpacks, sleeves and briefcases which features 100% ocean-bound plastic in the exterior main fabric.
The bio-based rubber derived from castor beans can also be found in the bottom bumpers of the Latitude 7430 and 7530 and Precision 3000 series Mobile Workstations—increasing Dell's mix of renewable materials.[vii]
These new materials join Dell’s existing sustainable materials portfolio which includes closed-loop and recycled plastics, reclaimed carbon fiber, aluminum produced with hydro power, bio-based plastics and closed-loop aluminum and rare earth magnets. These efforts were recently recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Sustainable Materials Management Awards, where Dell's use of bio-based plastics received a Cutting Edge Champion Award, its closed-loop aluminum pilot received the Sustained Excellence Award and its recycling services received a Gold Recycling Award. These awards mark eight consecutive years that Dell has been recognized with by the EPA for its commitment to sustainable materials management and recycling electronics responsibly.
Designing and manufacturing products with sustainable materials is only half of the circular economy story – reducing e-waste by keeping products and materials in use as long as possible through repair, reuse and recycling is just as critical. In support of this ambition, Dell recently launched new programs which build on its 20+ years of offering global recycling services to rethink, redesign, reuse and recycle – adapting to changing customer and consumer demands.
New packaging made from 100% recycled or renewable materials – and is 100% recyclable
Dell is accelerating progress on its 2030 packaging moonshot goal, introducing its first packaging made from 100% recycled or renewable materials which is 100% recyclable.[viii] This new packaging includes:
· Paper alternatives to items traditionally packaged in plastic bags like power cords and paper documentation
· Recycled corrugate shipping box with an inner tray made from a sustainably sourced bamboo and sugar cane fiber-based pulp[ix]
· Paper-based tape to reduce the potential waste stream contamination that occurs when plastic tape is used
The new packaging is rolling out across all new Latitude series laptops, Precision mobile workstations and XPS devices, giving Dell the opportunity to make impact at scale.