GSA has told agencies to stop dumping old electronics equipment into landfills or incinerators and recycle the gear instead.

The new policy, outlined in a bulletin to all agencies, directs them to reuse electronics whenever possible and then send non-functioning products to certified e-waste recyclers. Asset managers will offer surplus equipment to be reused at other agencies, schools, state and local governments, or offer it for sale.

GSA Administrator Martha Johnson said the federal government, the nation’s largest consumer of electronics, will be a more responsible user: “We are ensuring that electronics from federal agencies will be reused or sent to certified e-waste recycling plants. These steps are protecting human health and the environment, while supporting jobs in the growing e-waste industry.”