ROUND ROCK, TX —
Dell said it would no longer export nonworking parts, including broken computers and monitors, to developing countries.
While the US has no federal laws banning the export of e-waste, Dell said in a press statement it was responding to complaints about lax environmental regulations. The firm said it had previously specified this requirement to contractors, but this is the first time the company has stated a clear policy on the subject.
There are loopholes, however. Dell's policy has exceptions for raw materials going back into manufacturing and nonworking parts that need to be shipped because of warranty agreements. Nor did Dell explicitly state it would prohibit waste from being shipping outside the nation it was consumed in.
Dell is the world's second largest PC maker, behind
Hewlett-Packard.