Good practice:

Macerata Trashware

According to the Italian law, the computer equipment after five years from purchase has zero inventory value. State administrations must proceed with the sale through the State General Superintendency. If no buyer is found, they can be donated to schools or associations that request them. If all this is not possible, they must be disposed of in compliance with environmental law.
Trashware consists in recovering obsolete personal computers before they enter the waste cycle, making them usable again through small repairs and installations of free and open-source software. The latter, being less demanding in terms of hardware performance, allow to extend the useful life of personal computers.
The project was developed in 4 main phases:
• Promotion towards organizations and individuals
• Collection of disused computers
• Recovery through the installation of the Linux operating system and other free software
• Redistribution of computers to those who can advantageously reuse them (schools and non-profit organizations).
Targets:
• Decrease waste production from computer equipment
• Promote and spread the culture of reuse among citizens
• Provide efficient recovered computers to the associative world, social cooperation and non-profit sector
• Support the dissemination of basic computer knowledge and the use of open-source software
• Testing a new working model to generate new employment in the reuse sector.

Macerata Trashware, managed by RISORSE Società Cooperativa, was cofinanced by the Municipality of Macerata with a grant of 10,000,00 € and sponsored by the Province of Macerata.
The pilot project Macerata Trashware generated employment for two workers.

The project has led to an increase in work for the cooperative in charge, with a consequent increase in employment for specialized professionals. The recovered computers, dismissed from the Chamber of Commerce offices, have been donated to local associations and schools.
During the project, more than 50 personal computers were donated to primary and secondary schools and local cultural associations.

The project can be replicated if the legislative conditions of each region of application are verified and respected.
The project can:
• Decrease waste production from computer equipment
• Promote and spread the culture of reuse among citizens
• Provide efficient recovered computers to the associative world, social cooperation and non-profit sector
• Support the dissemination of basic computer knowledge and the use of open-source software
• Testing a new working model to generate new employment in the reuse sector.
The covid has increased the need for computers for many families for distance learning and not all families can afford the purchase of a computer.