Your used IT devices help create and maintain jobs for people with disabilities at AfB.

By reusing used IT devices, fewer raw materials are mined for the production of new devices. The globally available metal and mineral reserves (e.g. palladium, iron) vary greatly, which is why the consumption of a metal is set in relation to its availability.

For comparability, all metals and minerals are reported in iron equivalents (kg Fe-eq.) as before. This is based on a life cycle assessment study conducted by TU Berlin in 2013.

Humans are exposed to a variety of environmental pollutants on a daily basis. Human toxicity measures the effects on or damage to human health. This damage can be caused by substances (e.g., nitrogen oxides) that enter the air, soil, and water. It is reported in 1.4-dichlorobenzene equivalents (t 1.4-DB-eq.) For example, for a smartphone, extending its useful life from 3 to 4.5 years results in a 45% reduction because no new device had to be manufactured for that period.

Primary energy consumption reflects the demand for primary energy resources (crude oil, hard coal, hydropower, etc.) of a product over its entire life cycle from manufacture to disposal. Primary energies are required to provide the final energy (fuels, electricity, etc.). The indicator is quantified here in the unit kWh. A saving of 1,000 kWh corresponds to one third of the annual electricity demand of a 2-person household in a single-family house.

Water is needed in many processing steps along the life cycle of a product. In many regions, the availability of water is threatened by overuse, among other things. Water resource depletion is quantified here in liters and indicates the amount that has been withdrawn from a catchment area. The AWARE method used is based on quantifying the amount of water left available in an area after the demands of humans and aquatic ecosystems have been met. A saving of 1,000 liters corresponds to 5 filled bathtubs (200 l filling capacity).

Greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities contribute to the warming of the earth's atmosphere and thus to climate change. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) is used as an indicator. For comparability, all greenhouse gas emissions are converted to CO₂e. A saving of 1,000 kg CO₂e corresponds to a journey of 4,900 km with a medium-class gasoline engine. To absorb 1,000 kg of CO₂e, a beech tree must grow for approximately 80 years. Source: Tagesschau 

Water is a valuable resource for life on the planet, which is endangered by toxic substances, among other things. Freshwater and marine water ecotoxicity (Water ecotoxicity) refers to the effects on freshwater or seawater ecosystems as a result of the emission of toxic substances to air, water and soil. Characterization factors are expressed as 1.4-dichlorobenzene equivalent/kg emission (1.4-DB/kg).