In a move towards more sustainable digital infrastructure, n2s has announced a partnership with NTT DATA to support Virgin Media O2 in responsible data centre management across the UK. The collaboration will focus on the decommissioning and resource recovery of over 40,000 IT assets, aiming to minimise waste and recover critical materials. This step helps Virgin Media O2 further its goals for energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
The initiative follows n2s’s record from 2025, where the company processed over 33.5 tonnes of equipment, offsetting more than 322 tonnes of CO₂e emissions through circular economic practices. These included reuse, refurbishment, and low-impact recycling.
NTT DATA brings additional experience with its commitment to sustainability. The partnership seeks to extend n2s’s outcomes through the introduction of advanced urban mining and bioleaching techniques. Developed by n2s’s innovative sister company, Bioscope Technologies, these approaches focus on the recovery of precious metals like copper and gold via sustainable, low-carbon processes, aiming to reduce the traditional methods' environmental impact.
As n2s scales its bioleaching operations, Executive Director Andrew Gomarsall expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration. The shared vision with NTT DATA and Virgin Media O2 embraces sustainable digital infrastructure, encouraging the responsible retirement of technology and maximisation of circular value.
NTT DATA's UKI CEO, Niccolo Spataro, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the partnership's role in promoting environmental sustainability within the tech lifecycle. Through n2s's bioleaching technology and Virgin Media O2's environmental objectives, the initiative highlights responsible technology management, balancing circularity with business value.
Virgin Media O2’s Dana Haidan reaffirmed the company's dedication to zero-waste operations by responsibly processing and reusing legacy network equipment. These efforts align with their target of achieving net zero carbon emissions across the value chain by 2040.
The collaboration represents progress in sustainable digital practices, contributing to efforts toward the UK’s net zero emissions goals
