The correct choice is to donate the working network switches to the school district. This action directly applies the principle of reuse, which is the most environmentally responsible step in the waste hierarchy before recycling or disposal, because the switches are still functional and extending their lifecycle reduces e-waste. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of proper disposal and environmental best practices, often appearing in questions about recycling, donating, or disposing of old equipment. A common trap is to default to recycling or simply throwing away functional hardware, but the exam emphasizes that reuse is always preferred over recycling when the equipment still works. To remember this, think of the three Rs in order: Reduce first, then Reuse, then Recycle—donating functional network switches is a perfect example of the Reuse step in action.
220-1102 Environmental Awareness and Impact Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of environmental awareness and impact. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is upgrading its network switches and has 10 old switches that still work. The local school district has requested donations of working equipment. What should the technician do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Donate the switches to the school district.
Donating the switches to the school district aligns with the principle of reuse, which is the most environmentally responsible option before recycling or disposal. The switches are still functional, so extending their lifecycle reduces e-waste and benefits the community. This practice supports the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Throw the switches in the company dumpster.
Why it's wrong here
E-waste should never go in general trash; it contains hazardous materials and valuable resources.
✓
Donate the switches to the school district.
Why this is correct
Donation is the best option because it reuses functional equipment and benefits the community.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Send the switches to a recycler even though they work.
Why it's wrong here
Recycling is good, but reusing functional equipment is even better for the environment.
✗
Keep the switches in storage indefinitely.
Why it's wrong here
Storage delays disposal but does not solve the waste problem; it may lead to eventual disposal later.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the distinction between recycling and reuse, where candidates mistakenly choose recycling as the 'green' option, but the exam emphasizes that reuse is always preferable for still-functional equipment.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The waste hierarchy, as defined by the EPA and EU Waste Framework Directive, prioritizes prevention, reuse, recycling, and disposal in that order. Reuse of functional network equipment avoids the energy and resource costs of manufacturing new devices or recycling components. In a real-world scenario, a school district could repurpose these switches for a lab environment, providing hands-on learning without the need for new hardware.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 220-1202 question in full detail.
Environmental Awareness and Impact — This question tests Environmental Awareness and Impact — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Donate the switches to the school district. — Donating the switches to the school district aligns with the principle of reuse, which is the most environmentally responsible option before recycling or disposal. The switches are still functional, so extending their lifecycle reduces e-waste and benefits the community. This practice supports the waste hierarchy: reduce, reuse, recycle.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. During a software deployment, a technician must dispose of 50 unused software license CDs. The CDs are still sealed. What is the most environmentally friendly way to handle them?
medium
A.Throw them in the general office trash bin.
B.Shred them and put the pieces in the recycling bin.
✓ C.Donate them to a local school or non-profit that can use them.
D.Burn them in an incinerator to generate energy.
Why C: Donating or recycling the CDs through a media recycling program is the best approach. CDs are made of polycarbonate and can be recycled, but they should not go into regular trash. This question tests knowledge of proper disposal of electronic media.
Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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This 220-1202 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1202 exam.
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