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Broadband and mobile giant Virgin Media and O2 have today launched a new £3m Tech Rehome Network Fund, which will run until 2030 to support projects that help improve UK digital inclusion and reduce electronic waste within cities by encouraging the reuse of old technology.
The first £500,000 funding round opens today, which will be made available to councils, charities and community organisations who can apply with initiatives to create local networks that “recover, refurbish and redistribute unwanted devices to people who need them” – while addressing growing e-waste levels in the UK.
The fund is being supported by new research from VMO2, which claims that 460 million digital devices are sitting unused across UK homes and businesses, including an estimated 267 million still suitable for reuse or repair. Businesses were also found to hold an average of 45 unused devices each (compared with 7 for households), yet when staff need equipment, more buy new devices (42%) than reassign existing ones (34%).