Colt Technology Services (Colt), a digital infrastructure company, has announced two new sustainability programmes which will support its own net zero goals and could contribute to those of its customers.
Colt is partnering with Sweden-based, Urban Miners, to extract precious metals from unused equipment and is collaborating with carbon removal experts, Supercritical, to deliver a customer programme built on carbon removal credits.
As part of its commitment to building sustainable networks of the future, Colt is exploring its contribution to the circular economy, working with Urban Miners to analyse its decommissioned SDH legacy IT equipment and understand which materials can be reused or recycled.
In a recent pilot programme in Sweden, 99.4% of its equipment was either recyclable or reusable, amounting to 8.7 metric tonnes in weight and enabling 19 tonnes of CO2 savings. Colt is now extending the pilot with Urban Miners to analyse and extract precious metals from its hardware in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
Colt is also partnering with Supercritical to invest in vetted carbon removal initiatives. Colt customers will be able to count a share of these carbon removal credit purchases towards their carbon removal climate targets in their sustainability reporting.
The programme makes use of a technology called ‘biochar’ – an organic substance that stores carbon while improving soil health, lasting over 1,000 years, and is endorsed by governing bodies across the globe.
Supercritical scientists apply rigorous vetting procedures to their carbon removal projects before they are included in their platform.
“Urban Miners is working with Colt to recover legacy equipment across Europe. We are being given free hands and challenged by Colt to improve both reuse and recycling levels,” said Gustaf Dyrssen, Owner, Urban Miners. “In the most recent Nodes, we reached 100% recovery rate and now pursue further optimising of transport and material blends. It is a privilege to help Colt make a contribution towards a more sustainable world.”
Caroline Griffin Pain, Chief Legal Officer, Colt Technology Services, said: “Our research has shown us that understanding and reducing the impact of digital infrastructure on the environment are critical priorities for global IT leaders. At Colt, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to influence these goals: to take action and drive lasting change. Partnering with these two exciting and ground-breaking companies, Urban Miners and Supercritical, will help Colt and our customers to drive real progress on our journeys to net zero.”
Click below to share this article