Recycled racks and spare part servers: Amazon reveals major data center sustainability push

(Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon has announced push on decommissioned tech being diverted back to AWS
Reusable and refurbished tech is being used to help meet sustainability goals
Amazon says it wants to create a 'circular economy roadmap'

Amazon has revealed more details on its progress towards a goal of being net-zero carbon goal by 2040 through a push on recycling and reusing data center components.

In a new blog post, the company outlined how in 2024, over 99% of all Amazon Web Service (AWS) securely decommissioned racks were sent to its Amazon re:Cycle Reverse Logistics centers, meaning the hardware was diverted from landfills and reused by AWS, sold into the secondary market for reuse, or recycled.

This planning has meant AWS has been able to source 13% of spare parts from its own reuse inventory, which Amazon expects to increase as it expands its data center footprints even further.

A circular economy

The journey won’t be linear, Amazon says, but a ‘big part of it will be circular’.

Anyone who’s bought any tech or even clothing or kitchen appliances in the last ten years will recognize that build quality has rapidly deteriorated. Avid consumerism means many items just aren’t built to last anymore, which is obviously pretty terrible for the planet.

Part of Amazon’s push for sustainability is to ‘design better’, extending the lifetime of hardware and equipment, and using recycled materials which can be repaired and reused.

Alongside this commitment, Amazon recently announced it runs on 100% renewable energy, reportedly seven years ahead of schedule, and the company also plans to develop and implement a ‘comprehensive circular economy roadmap’ to help the firm offset the huge energy consumption that is brought on by expansion.

“We're challenging the traditional 'take-make-waste' model, taking a holistic approach to extend the lifecycle of our resources.” said Manju Murugesan, AWS's circular economy strategy lead.

“While we're encouraged by our progress, we recognize the complexity of the challenge ahead. Our journey towards true circularity requires ongoing innovation and collaboration, and we're committed to this critical work for the benefit of our business, customers, and the planet."

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Ellen has been writing for almost four years, with a focus on post-COVID policy whilst studying for BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Cardiff, followed by an MA in Political Communication. Before joining TechRadar Pro as a Junior Writer, she worked for Future Publishing’s MVC content team, working with merchants and retailers to upload content.