International collaboration between Out of Use and River Cleanup: customers are using the residual value of IT equipment to tackle plastic pollution in and along rivers
BERINGEN, 20 March 2026 – Out of Use, a specialist in the circular processing of end-of-life technology, today announces the launch of a partnership with the international environmental organisation River Cleanup. The launch of the partnership coincides with World Water Day on 22 March, a symbolic moment that draws global attention to the importance of healthy aquatic ecosystems. Through this partnership, companies can have their end-of-life IT equipment processed by Out of Use and use the resulting residual value to help keep rivers free of plastic.
At the heart of the initiative lies a clear, measurable principle: every euro of residual value donated by customers is converted by River Cleanup into 1 kilogram of (plastic) waste removed from or along rivers. In this way, Out of Use links the value of decommissioned laptops, smartphones and server equipment directly to a tangible environmental impact.
This partnership is in line with Out of Use’s international growth ambitions. The company works with organisations across Western Europe and aims to roll out circular IT solutions on an ever-wider scale, without losing sight of its focus on measurability and tangible impact. River Cleanup operates at an international level, making it a good fit for clients who wish to support a charitable cause on a global scale.
“Our international expansion means we have an ever-growing potential for positive environmental impact,” says Yannick Adriaenssens, CEO of Out of Use. “Plastics are a key component of electronics, and through this collaboration we can also make a significant difference in terms of plastic pollution. With this partnership, we are offering our customers a powerful tool: the residual value of their end-of-life technology becomes a direct investment in a future with less plastic, benefiting both people and nature.”
Rivers are a major route through which plastic flows into the ocean worldwide. River Cleanup therefore focuses on tackling the problem upstream: removing plastic where it accumulates, whilst at the same time accelerating prevention and behavioural change, in collaboration with the public and businesses.
Thomas de Groote, founder of River Cleanup: “This kind of collaboration accelerates real change when companies not only contribute to clean-up campaigns, but also take responsibility for prevention and raising awareness. This makes circular value tangible and makes it easier to scale up that impact on a structural basis, both in Belgium and internationally.”