# Introduction Small IT and telecommunication equipment constitute [about 2% of global greenhouse gas (GHG)](#user-content-fn-1)[^1] emissions and is one of the [fastest growing sectors in emissions](#user-content-fn-2)[^2]. In addition to climate change impacts, these electronic devices also require mining rare minerals and materials, and make up a rapidly growing stream of hazardous waste. [Most environmental impacts of electronic devices come from their manufacturing stage](#user-content-fn-3)[^3]. Therefore, a major lever to reduce GHG emissions in this sector is to increase the lifetime of devices, so that fewer devices are produced. One method for increasing device lifetime is **device repair and refurbishing**. Refurbishing of electronics involves restoring previously owned and used electronic devices to a functional state. It requires a diagnosis, cleaning, repairs, replacing parts, and testing to ensure performance. **Extending the lifespan of these devices reduces the production of new devices and reduces electronic waste**. Refurbishment of electronic devices is gaining mainstream acceptance from consumers but still faces barriers from high costs of repair, market fragmentation, and lack of consumer trust. [^1]: Freitag, C., Berners-Lee, M., Widdicks, K., Knowles, B., Blair, G. S., \& Friday, A. (2021). The real climate and transformative impact of ICT: A Critique of estimates, trends, and regulations. Patterns, 2(9), 100340. [^2]: European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Moeslinger, M., Almasy, K., Jamard, M. et al., Towards an effective right to repair for electronics – Overcoming legal, political and supply barriers to contribute to circular electronics in the EU, Publications Office of the European Union, 2022, ↑ [^3]: Bachér, J., Dams, Y., Duhoux, T., Deng, Y., Teittinen, T., 2020. Electronics and obsolescence in a circular economy (No. Eionet Report-ETC/WMGE 2020/3). European Environment Agency, European Topic Centre on Waste and Materials in a Green Economy. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.rainbowstandard.io/methodologies/refurbishing-of-electronic-devices/introduction.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.