While SSDs are favored in consumer PCs, mechanical hard drives remain dominant in data centers, often ending their life cycle as e-waste, with valuable rare earth elements (REE) lost. In response, Western Digital has launched the Advanced Recycling and Rare Earth Material Capture Program in collaboration with Microsoft and recycling partners, aimed at reclaiming essential materials like dysprosium and neodymium from hard drives, achieving over 90% reclamation of REE. This initiative has already diverted 47,000 pounds of drives from landfills, with processing occurring entirely within the U.S.
