Is there not a false premise in the accounting system? Surely having spent the capital in purchasing long lead, low usage items it is total stupidity to dispose of it because there hasn't been a use for it at the expected rate? Storage does cost, but I would suggest not as much as the rolling cannibalisation and subsequent induced faults that occur as a result of such a policy when the usage rate ramps up.
I imagine that contracts are placed as demand requires; what happens where demand is deliberately quashed, or someone somewhere thinks it best to clear the shelves to save a few quid?