International environmental activists are warning the public about the possible deluge of e-waste in developing countries resulting from the use of Microsoft’s Windows Vista, a new operating system. Launched in January, Vista may cause the retirement of old computers, and increase computer scrap.

After Windows XP, Microsoft recently came out with its latest operating system—the Windows Vista. But as Microsoft prepared for its launch in January 2007, environmental activists also prepared for an international campaign against it.

Greenpeace, a global organisation which focuses on the most crucial worldwide threats to the environment, warned that with Vista, unlike with the free and open source operating systems, more companies and individuals may feel the need to replace their existing computers sooner as these become incompatible with the new operating system. The result could be massive volumes of computer scrap in dirty recycling yards and dumpsites in developing countries such as the Philippines, Thailand, and other Asian countries where most of the world's e-waste dumps are found.

According to Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia toxics campaigner, “With Vista, Microsoft could effectively hasten the obsolescence of half the world’s PCs, especially in the absence of fully-functioning global take back systems for PCs. Companies will feel the need to upgrade more computers sooner—and when they do, the world is unfortunately not prepared for the massive e-waste the upgrades will generate.”

“The idea that software innovation would result in more mountains of computer scrap ending up in the dumps of Asia and Africa, contaminating the environment, and affecting the health of communities, is both offensive and intolerable,” said Baconguis.

Another group, the Basel Action Network (BAN), a campaigning organisation dedicated to highlighting the ongoing shipment of toxic waste to dumping grounds in the developing world, claims that aside from the digital dump, Vista could lead to the continuance of the digital divide to the global community.

A statement from BAN expressed that “every time a software makes hardware obsolete, the digital divide is actually perpetuated, because the divide is not defined by the gap between those with computers and those without, but by those with the latest innovations and those without. And when exported obsolete computers are handed down to developing country consumers for re-use, a toxic time bomb is created there due to the fact that the electronics industry has made no effort to ensure that infrastructure is in place to properly collect and manage their products at end-of-life.”

SoftChoice Corporation, which helps businesses and organisations in selecting, acquiring and managing their software and hardware technology resources, conducted a study which revealed that “50% of the current breed of personal computers is below Windows Vista's basic system requirements while 94% are not equipped to run on Windows Vista Premium edition.” This is based on a study they conducted from June 1 to October 1 in 2006, wherein actual inventory data from more than 112,000 desktops representing 472 unique organisations from across the United States and Canada were examined. To read the full copy of the study, visit <http://www.softchoice.com/services/research/pdf/vista_whitepaper.pdf>.

Sources:
“After Vista, a deluge of E-waste to developing countries, Greenpeace warns” from Greenpeace Southeast Asia, posted on February 3, 2007, <http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/press/releases/after-vista-a-deluge-of-e-was>.
Basel Action Network, <www.ban.org>.
“Global computer upgrade will see surge in e-waste” posted on January 31, 2007, <http://www.edie.net/news/news_story.asp?id=12542&channel=0>.
“Softchoice Vista-Readiness Study Highlights Importance of PC Lifecycle Management” from Softchoice, posted on December 7, 2006, <http://www.softchoice.com/about/press/article.asp?id=138>.
“'Tsunami of Electronic Waste' to hit Asian and African Shores?” from Basel Action Network posted on January 30, 2007, <http://www.minesandcommunities.org/Action/press1358.htm>.