This third part of the “3 Rs” equation (reduce, recycle, re-use) can be very helpful in saving a lot of materials from the environment, as well as protecting the public health and safety, and making the most of useful equipment.

The basic premise of re-use is that manufactured items can serve as resources long after most companies have discarded them.  Here are some basics on how to practice the principle of re-use.

1. Break down equipment into components – if your cell phone or laptop no longer works, the battery might still be good.  In fact, it’s almost certain that MOST of the piece of hardware that failed is still in fine working order.  Breaking down any piece of equipment allows you to use the parts that are still good and get more life out of a broken item.
2. Find ‘hand-me-down’ programs for obsolete hardware and tools – if your company doesn’t need old items any more, another smaller business might still be able to make good use of them.  Finding consistent programs for shipping old hardware or machinery to other shops, often in other parts of the world, can be a very solid step in the re-use process.
3.  Find re-use agencies – sometimes, outside third parties have better connections to second-hand user options than your staff can generate.  Contact ‘clearing house’ agencies and find takers for your old stuff.