AWS Advances Circular Economy to Cut Scope 3 Emissions

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is taking significant steps to tackle Scope 3 emissions through an ambitious circular economy strategy in its data centre operations.

The approach addresses the indirect emissions associated with the company's value chain, mainly focusing on the production, use and end-of-life treatment of data centre hardware.

Design better: Reducing upstream emissions

AWS's "Design Better" pillar targets Scope 3 emissions at the source by collaborating with suppliers to enhance product longevity and sustainability:

• At least 30% of plastic server rack components must be bio-based or recycled content
• Transitioning to biobased and recycled materials for SSD carriers, card holders, air ducts and power distribution board covers

The initiatives reduce the carbon footprint associated with raw material extraction and manufacturing processes, key contributors to Scope 3 emissions.

Operate longer: Minimising replacement-related emissions

The "Operate Longer" strategy directly impacts Scope 3 emissions by extending hardware lifespan:

• AWS's average expected server lifetime is six years
• By avoiding early retirement of functional hard drives, AWS has prevented the purchase of over 295,000 new hard drives

The approach significantly reduces emissions related to the production and transportation of new equipment, a major source of Scope 3 emissions in the tech sector.

Recover more: Addressing end-of-life emissions

AWS's "Recover More" pillar tackles Scope 3 emissions associated with waste management and end-of-life treatment of hardware:

• Since 2023, 23.5 million components have been sold or recycled on the secondary market
• 99% of all AWS decommissioned racks were either recycled, reused, or sold onto the secondary market
• 13% of spare parts are now sourced from AWS's reuse inventory

These efforts minimise emissions from waste disposal and reduce the need for new component production.

Manju Murugesan, AWS's Circular Economy Strategy Lead, highlights the company's commitment:

"Embracing circularity represents a paradigm shift in resource management and at AWS, we're leveraging multiple strategies to drive this transformation. We're challenging the traditional 'take-make-waste' model, taking a holistic approach to extend the lifecycle of our resources."

Broader impact on Scope 3 emissions

AWS's circular economy initiatives extend beyond its immediate operations, influencing Scope 3 emissions across the entire value chain:

• Collaboration with suppliers encourages sustainable practices in the upstream supply chain
• Extending hardware lifespan reduces emissions associated with frequent replacements
• Recycling and reselling components minimise waste-related emissions and support a secondary market for IT equipment

Neil Morris, Country Manager for AWS Ireland, expands upon the importance of these efforts:

"Our reverse logistics programme is a key part of our circular economy strategy. By extending the life of our data centre equipment, we're reducing our environmental impact and supporting our goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions."

AWS's circular economy strategy demonstrates a comprehensive approach to addressing Scope 3 emissions in data centre operations.

By focusing on design improvements, extended use and effective recovery, AWS is reducing its own carbon footprint and setting new standards for sustainability in the tech industry.

As the company continues to innovate and collaborate, its efforts promise to drive significant reductions in Scope 3 emissions across the global data centre sector.

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