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Australia Unlocking the Wealth in Waste

As bright, innovative minds around the world continue to create the latest and greatest consumer gadgets, millions of formerly trendy models end up unused and slated for the trash. This is particularly evident in Australia. The country recently released information estimating the nation has sent nearly 17 million televisions and 37 million computers to landfills by 2008. In an effort to combat the rapid filling of their landfills and implement a more sustainable model, Australia has commissioned the Wealth from Waste program, a three year, $9 million initiative to identify viable options to “mine” above-ground resources found in discarded manufactured products and consumer goods.

In addition to offsetting e-waste, the Wealth from Waste program will have a major financial impact on the country. Consider this: the researchers spearheading the Wealth from Waste program estimated that more than $2 billion is lost to the Australian economy each year from the failure to properly recycle metals from manufactured and consumer goods. Between the physical and financial impacts, Wealth from Waste will no doubt unlock the value of these hidden resources within the reverse supply chain.

As a trusted leader in the reverse supply chain for leading Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies, Liquidity Services has the expertise and experience to tap the hidden wealth from your surplus, keeping it out of the landfills and supporting sustainability initiatives while protecting your brand and bottom line. In fact, we have kept over two billion pounds of scrap materials and 240 million surplus items out of landfills enabling a second life via recycling, repurposing, and reusing surplus.

In one case, Liquidity Services partnered with a global computer manufacturer to design a team and system that would process, test, and grade returned PC units as part of their initiative to keep employee-returned devices out of landfills. Through the success of this surplus management program, this global computer manufacturer was able to offset expenses and increase the processing speed of devices. Within three months, 7,481 units were processed, netting an overall increased return and value of the devices.

Contact us about our comprehensive, sustainable programs to manage your organization’s surplus assets.