Last week Microsoft launched its authorised refurbisher (MAR) program with Rehab Recycle in Tallaght, Dublin.

This initiative encourages companies wanting to dispose of unwanted or unused IT hardware to donate it to the Rehab recycling facility in west Dublin. There, old PCs are either dismantled and their components separated out for recycling, or they are spruced up with a fresh copy of Microsoft's XP operating system installed before being donated to schools and charities.

So far, Rehab Recycling, computer refurbishers Educom, the Fastrack to Information Technology training scheme for job seekers, and participants in the Central Remedial Clinic's vocational training scheme are refurbishing computers as part of the Microsoft scheme.

Tom Murphy, head of public relations and community affairs at Microsoft Ireland, said 1,000 machines had been donated over the past fortnight. Around 600 of these came from Microsoft offices, with the remainder from businesses, the public sector and banks. All reusable models are of thee minimum specification capable of running Microsoft XP.

"Already a number of leading environmentally-conscious companies are availing of the MAR programme and our aim is that as many companies as possible look at the programme as a realistic alternative to scrapping unused technology while knowing that the donated computers will have a valuable extended life in a growing number of charities and schools."

The second aim of the MAR programme is to keep often highly toxic computer components out of landfill sites, and Murphy is optimistic that more Irish businesses will avail of the scheme.

Microsoft's launch of its new green initiative coincided with the establishment by consumer electronics giant Sony of a national recycling programme in the US.

The Sony Take Back recycling programme begins in September and allows consumers to bring Sony products to 75 drop-off centres in America where they will be recycled for free.

Waste Management Recycle America runs the centres and will charge market rates for recycling non-Sony electronics.

"Providing the highest level of service and support doesn't stop once a purchase is made. We believe it is Sony's responsibility to provide customers with end-of-life solutions for all the products we manufacture, " said Stan Glasgow, president and chief operating officer of Sony Electronics.

Environmental campaign group Greenpeace released its third Green Electronics Guide earlier this summer, which has acted as a spur for technology companies to improve their green credentials, and Sony's new scheme should see it move up the rankings as it currently languishes at the bottom with a score of four out of ten.

The guide ranks phone and computer manufacturers on their policies on eliminating harmful chemicals from their products, as well as on taking responsibility for products after they are disposed of.

Nokia is top of the pile . . .scoring eight out of ten . . . for its drive to eliminate harmful chemicals, while Dell and Lenovo rank joint-second with a score of 7.3. Samsung and Motorola score 6.7, followed by Toshiba and FujitsuSiemens on six out of ten.

Acer scores 5.7, while Apple, which was at the bottom of the list last year, moved to tenth place with a score of 5.3. Panasonic, LG and Sony are at the lower end of the list because of poor product take-back programmes and score 5, 4.3, and 4 respectively.