Circular Innovation: Transforming the Laptop Lifecycle

The laptop on your desk is the result of a complex global supply chain. It begins with raw materials like ores mined from the earth and oil refined into plastics, passes through processing to create high-grade metals, and involves precise engineering, advanced manufacturing, and meticulous design. This intricate supply chain culminates in packaging, transportation, and delivery to your workspace—a remarkable collaboration of resources and expertise.

Over time, when your laptop is no longer fit for the purpose for which it was originally bought, it can be reused (repaired or refurbished), recycled or discarded. The discussion of moving from a linear economy, where products are manufactured, used and discarded to a circular economy, where resources are reused or recycled, is familiar to most people today.

Annie Leonard coined the phrase, “designed for the dump”, meaning that products are designed with little thought to repair and reuse, or to more easily produce clean commodities when recycled. This article discusses how we have seen improvements across all steps in the circular economy for IT assets in recent years and are finding success in “designing for circularity” throughout the forward and reverse supply chains instead of “designing for the dump”. The chart below shows each step in the circular lifecycle of a laptop, showing both traditional approaches and more recent improvements at each step in the process.

1. Manufacturers

Historically, electronic manufacturers have had responsibility to facilitate recycling of their products because of extended producer responsibility legislation. Typically, this was implemented through consumer take-back programs. These initiatives allowed consumers to return old or unused devices to designated drop-off points for collection where items were sometimes reused but mostly recycled. This limited focus often resulted in only a fraction of electronic waste being effectively reused or recycled, with significant amounts still ending up in landfills or processed inadequately.

Today, Right to Repair initiatives aim to empower users by making it easier for them to repair their own devices, extending the lifespan of products and reducing e-waste volumes.

In addition, electronic manufacturers are reimagining design to improve circularity of their devices. Some manufacturers are leveraging modular design, where devices are constructed with easily replaceable components. Companies like Fairphone have embraced this approach, creating smartphones that can be disassembled and repaired by users to reduce electronic waste. is a notable example in the laptop market, offering modular laptops that users can upgrade and repair themselves, promoting a longer product lifecycle. The development of reusable phones and laptops contributes to a reduction in the demand for raw materials and energy-intensive manufacturing processes, aligning with the industry’s shift toward sustainability and a more circular economy. Manufacturers are also using recycled or sustainably sourced materials in manufacturing new IT equipment, enhancing the eco-friendliness of new products.

2. Distribution

Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on sustainable packaging as part of their commitment to circularity and environmental responsibility. Focusing on right-sized packaging allows manufacturers to reduce the volume of materials used, which not only cuts down on waste but also allows more products to fit on each truck, reducing transportation costs and emissions. By rethinking how products are packaged, companies are finding ways to reduce waste, use recyclable or compostable materials, and minimize the environmental footprint of their packaging processes. For example, many manufacturers are switching from traditional synthetic materials to recycled or bio-based alternatives, helping to reduce the reliance on Styrofoam and plastic packaging and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Some are also designing packaging to be easily disassembled, enabling customers to recycle components more effectively. Many brands are also engaging consumers in their sustainability efforts, incorporating clear labeling to help them understand how to recycle or reuse packaging. Through these initiatives, manufacturers are making packaging an essential part of a more sustainable product offering.

3. Use

The typical provisioning of end-user equipment in the corporate environment is to purchase laptops for employees, refreshed and replaced on a three or four-year cycle. Today there are other operational models available, including broader use of refurbished products, subscription-based models, and product-as-a-service. These business models are transforming IT asset usage by encouraging more sustainable practices, maximizing product lifespans, and reshaping ownership expectations.

Use of Refurbished Products - Refurbishment operations support the repurposing of previously used IT assets, allowing companies to extend the lifecycle of devices that might otherwise be recycled or discarded. As more heavy computing tasks are moved to the cloud, there may be less need for powerful new laptops to be provided for every user. This model offers a cost-effective option for businesses and consumers to continue to use IT assets beyond their typical lifecycle.

Modular Laptop Design - As the need for local and cloud-based computing continues to evolve, the modular design trends of today may also benefit effective use of laptops for end-users. On the one hand, as more applications move to the cloud, local computing requirements for laptops have decreased. Tasks like data storage, software updates and general computational processes can happen on the cloud, requiring less intensive laptop requirements. On the other hand, as AI becomes more common, some laptop designs and requirements may shift as tasks like use of large language models, creative work and AR/VR will need fast localized processing and dependable high-speed internet. Modularly built laptops allow users to upgrade AI components, storage, or networking capabilities to match the latest AI advancements or cloud-dependency levels without having to fully replace the device.

Subscription Based Models - There are subscription-based models, product-as-a-service (PaaS) and leasing models available to companies instead of outright purchase of hardware. The differences between these models are mostly based on the inclusion of a defined use period, whether or not software is bundled, who is responsible for maintenance and upgrades and whether a manufacturer directly provides the hardware or a value-added reseller does. In all cases, there is an incentive to care for the hardware during use and usually a defined process for secondary use of the laptop when the subscription or lease term ends. These models encourage a more circular approach to hardware.

4. Reverse Logistics

A digital product passport (DPP) can streamline the reverse logistics journey, allowing for real-time tracking and efficient routing as assets move through the reverse supply chain. DPP is a standardized digital record that contains essential information about the lifecycle of a product, including its origin, materials, maintenance requirements, repair history, and recycling or disposal guidelines. Designed to support circular economy practices, a DPP travels with the product from manufacturing through use, repair, and end-of-life stages, offering transparency and traceability at every step. The DPP enables ITAD providers to identify products accurately, minimize errors and enhance resource recovery. The DPP is tracked leveraging technologies including RFID, QR codes and embedded software, among others.

As in the forward supply chain, recycled plastic pallets and bins can play a role in providing an eco-friendly solution for some reverse logistics programs. These durable containers facilitate the safe transport of IT assets, reducing waste and reinforcing sustainable practices across the logistics lifecycle.

5. Reuse

Automation in IT asset disposition (ITAD) services is rapidly evolving, with new technologies transforming traditionally labor-intensive processes into highly efficient, accurate systems. Robotics and AI-powered “smart sorting” streamline complex sorting tasks, categorizing IT assets quickly and accurately for refurbishment, recycling, or responsible disposal. Purpose-built microfactories and recovery centers enhance this flow, allowing ITAD companies to manage asset recovery with improved precision and reduced manual labor. Data capture, combined with digital twin technology, offers deeper insight into operational performance, utilizing predictive analytics to reveal hidden opportunities for recovery and processing optimization. Additionally, augmented and virtual reality tools minimize human error in these intricate processes, guiding technicians through disassembly and repair tasks with enhanced accuracy. Together, these advancements form a cohesive ecosystem that maximizes asset recovery and sustainability, improving reuse opportunities and setting a new standard in ITAD practices.

6. Recycle

Robots equipped with advanced AI algorithms can now handle complex sorting tasks that previously required manual labor. This “smart sorting” allows recyclers to categorize various IT assets quickly and accurately, directing them to the correct processing channels—whether for refurbishment, recycling, or safe disposal. The use of robotics not only speeds up throughput but also enhances precision in disassembly and sorting, helping recyclers recover more valuable materials and reduce waste.

7. Recycled Material Used to Manufacture New Products

Returning recycled metals to smelters and refiners to create new metals is a far more energy efficient process than using virgin mined ores and reduces the need to mine new ore. Recycling aluminum, for example, results in 90% lower CO2 emissions compared to creating aluminum from ores.

Legislation

The volume of e-waste continues to rise, yet recycling rates remain dismally low. Right to repair laws have been created in many countries to facilitate reuse vs. recycling or disposal. Legislation and guidelines have been developed to improve the circularity of IT assets. These frameworks, aimed at extending the lifecycle of IT equipment, reducing resource extraction, and fostering sustainable practices across industries, include:

• Mandating e-waste recycling and responsible disposal
• Encouraging circular design andextended producer responsibility (EPR)
• Promoting data erasure standards for reuse
• Incentivizing refurbishment and asset reuse
• Carbon emissions and sustainability goals
• E-Waste collection and recycling targets

The ecosystem is there to reimagine how we use and reuse IT assets.

One Final Note

We expect that AI will play an important role in aggregating siloed information regarding the lifecycle of an IT asset. This aggregated information should continue to provide better insight into the overall process, allowing better decision making and circular outcomes.