At SRFF, we believe that a secure, sustainable, and resilient technology ecosystem requires requires a commitment to longevity. That means designing devices and software with durable, transparent support lifecycles, which includes holding manufacturers accountable when products are prematurely pushed to a landfill.
That’s why we were proud to have contributed to the U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s Electronic Waste Graveyard — a new, data-driven project that exposes how expiring software updates and server shutdowns have forced millions of still-functional devices into early obsolescence. The project highlights the critical need for Right to Repair legislation, transparency in support timelines, and reform of practices that treat software support as disposable.
SRFF intern Katie Shea contributed research that helped identify several of the devices included in the database. This kind of work of digging into the gaps between manufacturer promises and real-world impact is central to what we do at SRFF. We’re excited to continue supporting projects like this, and to invest in the next generation of advocates and researchers who are ready to challenge the status quo.
As PIRG cites, at least 130 million pounds of electronic waste have been generated since 2014 as a direct result of software and service expiration. From Chromebooks abandoned by school districts to PCs left behind by the looming Windows 10 sunset, the numbers make clear what SRFF and others have long argued: security and sustainability must go hand in hand. When manufacturers pull the plug on software support, they don’t just create cyber risks, they create environmental damage.
At SRFF, we’re continuing to push for laws and policies that require longer support timelines, greater manufacturer transparency, and stronger rights for consumers to maintain and modify their own devices. We’re also committed to fighting the narrative that this kind of obsolescence is an unavoidable tradeoff in a fast-moving tech economy. It’s not. It’s one we can fix.
We thank U.S. PIRG for highlighting the cost of these harmful practices, and we’re proud that SRFF was able to play a small role in bringing attention to the problem.