Where does technology go at the end of its life cycle? Reece Webb finds out what happens after the 'death' of a product
‘death’ of a product.
Every product has its day, and eventually the sun must set on the lifecycle of a product. Whether worn out, damaged, or simply long past its prime, every replaced product must go somewhere eventually, and unlike what your parents might have said about your childhood pet, that display, projector or speaker has not “gone to live on a farm”. When it comes to the end of life, that product must go somewhere, but where does a product go when it’s time to move on?
While Inavate would not dare to empirically answer the question of what happens after death for us mere mortals, we can certainly find out what happens to a product at the end of its life cycle. Jeremy Codiroli, vice president, global supply chain, AVI-SPL, explains: “Most integrators barely offer [product disposal], and often the only time that integrators offer it is when clients demand that they do. When it is done, it’s often done in a very inefficient way. This is a growing problem, and AVI-SPL has always prided itself on asking what its customers need and what it’s doing about these issues. We are noticing more customers asking us to handle disposal, and when we said that we don’t offer it, our customers were annoyed. Often this responsibility falls on IT partners or IT waste management and those providers didn’t necessarily know what to do with the kind of devices that we were giving them.
“We had to tackle this and decided, let’s do it and do it better than anybody else. Most of our competitors are ‘checking the box’ and that’s not what we’re interested in. It’s about putting these pieces together. The linchpin is customer experience and customer friction. We are approaching it from a supply chain plus customer experience perspective.”
Think local
AVI-SPL has adopted an e-waste management services pilot, which aims to bring a localised approach to product end of life, avoiding the pitfalls of shipping waste over long distances. The integrator has carried out a successful pilot scheme and aims to expand this strategy nationally in the USA before a global rollout.
“This is 100% going to be global”, explains Codiroli. “We are starting in the US, and we are asking what is the right way to do e-waste? We are rolling out a customer process which we call a ‘hyper localised strategy’. The process isn’t ‘box checking’, we’re partnering with local partners to ensure that we have a unique mesh of E-Waste partners that all have different recycling certifications, building it out like an algorithm to find our ‘go-to’ partner with a competitive advantage on a sustainability level in the local area. If we’re working in a different area, then it’s a different equation. We are not only able to save our customers a significant amount of money, but we’re also able to say that we picked it up locally and disposed of it locally instead of shipping e-waste for hundreds of miles. We’re not trying to ‘check the box’, we’re trying to do this in the best way possible.”
Second life
For some products, the end of its (hopefully long) life in an installation is not always the end. For some products, ‘reincarnation’ offers a second lease on life for products in a new context.
Kelly Bousman senior vice president, ESG and Sustainability, AVI-SPL, explains: “We deal with a lot of multinational companies, and they want to know what happened to their waste at all their locations, and they want a report annually. They want to know how many pickups we did, where we did it, how much was diverted from landfill, how much was recycled and refurbished “We have customers ask how we can give a product a second life. We work with a partner who has a network of vetted outlets for tech that help children gain access to tech who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it. Not all of our customers are ready to do that, some of them just want their products wiped clean and for their asset disposition, destruction is the only method. We have had customers ask about second life, and we must give props to SAVe who are doing a good job trying to help integrators connect with local charities. We want to include that in our pilot as we move forward. Most large companies want responsible recycling as the main goal, but part of our future vision involves moving more towards reuse.”
Trade shows, the very hub of our industry on a yearly basis, are often the catalyst for mass-importation of equipment and products that are either too expensive to ship back, damaged, or simply too inconvenient to return to their point of origin. Fortunately, this is an issue which is now being addressed at the largest AV trade show in the world. Mike Blackman, managing director, Integrated Systems Europe, explains: “We are committed to promoting sustainability and supporting the local community by extending the life of products beyond the show floor. At ISE 2025, three key initiatives reflected this commitment: the Donation Room programme, The Connected Classroom, and our collaboration with SAVe, ISE’s official sustainability partner.
“The Donation Room provided exhibitors with a simple way to donate items from their stands at the end of the show. Products could be left in a designated area, and ISE took care of the rest. Developed in partnership with the La Nau Civic Association, this initiative encouraged donations of AV equipment, furniture, decorations, and unopened food and drink. These items were then distributed to local organisations across sectors such as education, healthcare, sports, and community services. This year, we also introduced The Connected Classroom an immersive educational showcase, powered by Logitech. At the end of ISE, a wide range of products from the Connected Classroom were donated to Giga, a brilliant and inspirational UNICEF-ITU initiative, which aims to connect every school to the Internet and every young person to information, opportunity and choice.”
For Ray Sappal, director, Media Powerhouse, reuse is a key business approach that gives a new lease on life to tired systems: “I hate waste. Just because an item is three to five years old does not mean it’s past its best by any means. We try to reuse or re-home as much hardware we can, and most is removed from client sites when they have a refurbishment or revamp. We try to donate items to either a church, charity or school where we can install or instruct them on the use of an item in its new home.
“The UK’s AV industry is at a critical crossroads. As technology evolves rapidly, so does the volume of old, unwanted equipment. E-waste is now a serious issue, and AV professionals must ask hard questions: Are we recycling properly? Are we reusing what we can? And crucially, are manufacturers stepping up to help?”
Make it work
Bousman says: “We are seeing manufacturers really leading the way in sustainability practices. Many manufacturers have take back programs, such as Cisco, HP, Logitech and Sony, but we must go back to the customer experience. When that stuff is piled up on the loading dock, and somebody must handle the disposal of it, they don’t know about those vendor programs, they just need the waste to be managed.
“We are trying to address this. If a customer wants to take advantage of those programs, still streamlining that process. There are also manufacturers who want to take back their products because of their circular manufacturing approach. Logitech Sight has recycled plastic, and they want customers to give them the Sight back so they can use the same plastic without the same full process to go into the next product that they make.”
Sappal sees optimistic signs of manufacturers taking the reins, but progress is by no means uniform: “Manufacturers play a critical role in reducing AV waste and many are finally stepping up. Sony for example offers a ‘take back and recycling’ program for professional products and Barco has published detailed Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and designs with eco-principles in mind. Crestron is also focusing on modular systems, allowing components to be upgraded without replacing entire setups, and we have a certified Crestron installer. Some brands now provide longer firmware support, prolonging device lifespans, while others offer green certifications (like TCO or EPEAT) or detailed end-of-life recycling guidance.
“For integrators, these initiatives can save time and reduce disposal headaches. Clear take back schemes mean old kit can be shipped back easily. Modular upgrades allow cost-saving proposals to clients, and green certifications help meet client sustainability targets. However, smaller or niche manufacturers often lag behind, offering no formal recycling options. This inconsistency makes it harder for integrators managing diverse equipment lists especially on large tenders.”
Lease on life
With attitudes to waste changing and new schemes taking shape, how important will waste considerations be to the future of our industry? “This needs to be normalised,” says Bousman. “This is part of the life cycle of technology, which perhaps we haven’t been properly thinking about. As an integrator, your job is to think about sourcing, end of life, and everything inbetween, be that extending the life cycle of a product through maintenance and monitoring. Integrators really are the key here, so figuring out ways to simplify and scale ethical product end of life is important.”
Blackman says: “Even with the topic being widely discussed, there is still more we can do to move forward and further improve our efforts. Industry actions that work towards increasing the recycling rate will be crucial, as will end-of-life processes for products. The AV industry must focus on designing sustainable products and extending their lifespans. Expanding takeback and recycling programs, along with stronger collaboration with recycling organisations, will ensure proper disposal and recovery of valuable materials. Educating consumers about responsible disposal and the environmental impact of e-waste is also key to promoting sustainable behaviour.
“With e-waste expected to grow by 40% by 2030, improving global recycling infrastructure, especially in developing regions, is essential. Partnerships with governments and NGOs can help tackle this challenge. By prioritising sustainability and adopting a circular economy model, the AV industry can reduce its environmental footprint and lead the way in more effective e-waste management. With a collective focus on these areas, we can make significant strides towards a more sustainable future.”
“We feel to build a truly sustainable AV industry we need clear direction and serious collaboration across the supply chain,” says Sappal. “The AV world needs proper guidelines for ethical e-waste handling, recycling, and reuse, like ISO standards in IT and manufacturing. Manufacturers should design products for longer lifespans, easy repair, and straightforward recycling. Eco-designs mean fewer materials, modular builds, and reduced hazardous substances, this must become the baseline/norm.
“Integrators should also build trusted relationships with certified recyclers and ITAD firms to ensure all disposal is WEEE compliant and properly tracked. More manufacturers should offer trade-in discounts, loyalty credits, or other perks
for returning old hardware/ equipment. Incentives can drive huge shifts in behaviour at all levels. Lastly, integrators must educate clients and propose life cycle planning as part of every project. We should sell sustainability not as an extra cost, but as an investment in brand image, compliance, and cost-efficiency. This is sometimes difficult when integrators are fighting to hit targets but can be achieved, in part, by using some items and not just upgrading all items within a system, we try to do this where possible. The UK AV industry has made real progress, but we are still only at the beginning of the journey towards ethical product disposal, reuse, and recycling. There is a clear business case for doing better. Clients increasingly demand it, regulations will continue to tighten, and smart management of AV lifecycles can improve margins. Most importantly, it’s simply the right thing to do. The technology we love doesn’t have to cost the Earth. It’s up to us to make sure it doesn’t.”