Sustainability
What service guarantees are offered? Each product sold comes with three month’s full warranty as per all our refurbished stock. Te warranty covers full refund or equivalent replacement in the rare event that the product is faulty or damaged.
What role does the tech and IT channel have to play in facilitating the circular economy? At ILM Highland we have always worked hard to restore electrical goods where possible, as we believe in the power of circular economic practices. Any items that we deem suitable for reuse are taken to our workshop to be tested, cleaned and refurbished, ready for sale in our online and Alness stores. Tose that can’t be refurbished are
recycled responsibly – according to the UK Parliament, materials from laptops discarded throughout the UK could be used to make 159,000 bikes, 12,000 playground swings, and 5 million life-saving defibrillators.
Where do you obtain hardware for refurbishment? All laptops have been donated by individuals and businesses from across the Scottish Highlands. We collect devices from all Highland
Council recycling centres, and have installed four lockers at high-traffic locations to ensure that devices arrive with us in the best condition possible – in Inverness, Dingwall, Fort William and at our headquarters in Alness. We also offer free upliſt of surplus IT
equipment from businesses of all sizes in the Highlands, allowing them to downsize or responsibly recycle their old office equipment.
Where does the scheme stem from and how is it funded? Te ILM Laptop to Chromebook refurbishment project is supported by Zero Waste Scotland’s Resource Efficient Circular Economy Accelerator Programme, and funded by the Scottish Government and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Te project began with a partnership
with Strathclyde University students, whose Recycle Design for Sustainability research showed that innovation can grow from waste
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electrical sources. Terefore we want to stop discarded laptops being placed in landfill and instead repurpose these unwanted resources, converting them to high standard Chromebooks.
Can you tell us more about what else ILM Highland is doing towards its commitment to reducing electrical waste heading for landfill? Alongside our Laptops to Chromebooks project, ILM Highland offers a number of environmental schemes and services designed to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill. Tis includes:
Electrical Recycling We provide electrical recycling services across the entirety of the Scottish Highlands, ensuring that as little as possible ends up in landfill. We collect waste electronics and electricals
from Highland Council recycling centres and businesses across the region. Tese are stripped down into component parts, which can be reused or disposed of responsibly and in a manner that least impacts the environment. In the last year, we recycled 55,915
appliances – saving 2,276.5 tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere.
Refurbished Electrical Appliances For over 15 years, we have refurbished large electrical appliances to extend their use, provide affordable white goods to Highland residents, and fund our charitable services. We inspect every appliance donated
through our electrical recycling scheme, and where the items can be restored to full working order we will do so. We refurbish fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, cookers and ovens – and now laptops – giving a new lease of life to appliances that may otherwise end up thrown away.
Spares & Repairs In mid 2021, we launched our Spares & Repairs service. Trough this we are able to source spare parts for a number of large appliances, including washing machines, tumble dryers, fridges, freezers, cookers, ovens and Dyson vacuum cleaners. By providing these spare parts – and, where necessary, helping with repairs – we
are able to extend the lifespan of appliances, which may otherwise have been thrown away.
Where will the proceeds from sales of the refurbished laptops be reinvested? As a social enterprise, we reinvest every penny of profit back into our local community and our ethos remains at the core of what we do – supporting vulnerable people to be at home.
Can you tell us more about ILM Highland’s charitable services and how they are supported? ILM Highland’s aim is to support vulnerable people to be at home. We do this through offering charitable service that can be accessed by Highland residents free of charge.
Handyperson Service Our Handyperson service provides practical and reliable help with small repairs around the home to those who may not be able to help themselves through age or disability – from changing lightbulbs to fitting handrails. On average, our team carries out around 7,000 jobs per year, improving people’s quality of life as well as reducing hazards around the home. In 2018, we also established the Highland
Veterans Handyperson service to provide practical help to veterans with odd jobs and small repairs around the home.
Care & Repair Service Our Care & Repair team provides a helping hand to around 350 older people and people living with a disability every year with larger home improvements. Te team helps residents with sourcing specialist support and funding to address issues like damp, structural instability, roof repairs and disability adaptations.
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