Rather than letting old school laptops and tablets gather dust or head to landfill, Monaco is giving thousands of them a second life — and in doing so, tackling digital inequality, reducing waste, and supporting local charities.
Since 2020, all students enrolled in Monaco’s public secondary schools have been loaned personal computers to aid their learning and build digital literacy. This initiative forms part of the Principality’s broader digital transition strategy for education.
Now, as part of the scheduled renewal of school IT equipment, over 2,700 devices — including laptops, tablets, keyboards and accessories — are being given a second life rather than sent for disposal.
This latest operation – titled Opération 2nde vie – is a joint initiative led by the Interministerial Delegation for Digital Transition and the Department of Education, Youth and Sports, with a focus on environmental responsibility and social impact.
Reducing waste, supporting communities
The benefits of this scheme are twofold. On the environmental side, the extended use of equipment helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the demand for raw materials. The reuse of the current batch of devices is expected to save the equivalent of 150 tonnes of CO₂ — roughly the same as driving from Monaco to Paris and back 495 times.
On the social side, the reconditioned equipment is being donated to local associations working in the fields of child protection, digital inclusion and housing support. Beneficiaries include AMADE, Galice 06, and Banque du Numérique 06, all of which assist vulnerable populations in gaining access to technology and essential services.
A collective effort for a greener digital future
Several Monaco-based organisations are contributing to the effort. Green Monaco inspects the condition of each device, AMAPEI helps with inventory management, Actif Azur ensures full data erasure, and Monaco Green Box provides reusable crates for a zero-waste logistics chain.
The initiative also contributes to employment reintegration through its collaboration with a partner organisation that engages people returning to the workforce.
Looking ahead, the Principality aims to embed this reuse model into its long-term digital and environmental strategies.
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Photo credit: Manuel Vitali, Government Communications Department
