Retiring Technological Equipment at the End of a Lease

In any market, it is crucial to ensure that all of your business’s IT equipment is up to date. However, the fact that the technological developments in IT-related software and hardware happen at an increasingly rapid pace means that it is important for businesses to understand how best to cycle out end-of-lease and end-of-use technology.

There are several reasons why it’s important to properly retire out-of-use IT equipment. Improper retirement of your old equipment can expose your business to a number of operational risks. These risks include data breaches, environmental harm, and, even, legal ramifications for improper disposal.

Whether you’re planning to simply dispose of old equipment, or better, recycle it, taking the proper steps to ensure that your business is operationally, ethically, and legally secure is imperative.

Proper and Secure Retirement of Equipment

When your business partners with a certified IT Asset Disposition company, you can rest assured that the cycling out of your end-of-lease and end-of-use equipment will be dealt with in a way that is responsible and secure.

The process of properly cycling out your business’s old IT assets includes the following elements:

• Securely sorting, wrapping, and boxing all out-of-use IT equipment
• Clearly labeling the equipment in order to remove it securely from the site
• Completely wiping information from hard drives for redeployment or destruction
• Ensuring that all disposal practices adhere to federal, state, and local ordinances regarding e-waste

While the option of disposal may be right for some businesses or circumstances, the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality highly recommends recycling technological equipment in order to cut down on e-waste. However, in the cases where disposal is the right choice, SEAM operates according to the highest worldwide environmental safety standards, above and beyond normal EPA waste management hierarchy.

Regardless of which option your business chooses, proper retirement of IT equipment is absolutely essential. Here are a few of the reasons that your business should take care to properly retire all end-of-lease and end-of-use technology:

Prevent Data Breaches 

Computers, phones, tablets, or hard drives that have been used for business purposes and have reached the end of their lifespan may contain sensitive information. Thoroughly wiping the data from all devices that will no longer be actively used for your business is the only means to ensure that your information is safe. This may include client records, as well as payment and billing information, which could put your business at financial risk if exposed.

Ensure Compliance with E-Waste Regulations

As mentioned above, the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality highly recommends the recycling of technological equipment. However, there are also federal regulations to consider when properly retiring end-of-use or end-of-lease equipment. Utilizing a professional ITAD company will guarantee that your business is not at risk of the potential pitfalls of improper disposal or e-waste regulation violations.

The Cost of Storing Old Equipment

Beyond the environmental, regulatory, ethical, and digital security reasons for proper ITAD, the cost of storing out-of-use equipment significantly reduces your ROI. The space owned or leased by your business should be used efficiently and storing unused IT assets lowers the efficiency of your business, as well as presenting the aforementioned risks.

SEAM provides a wide range of professional ITAD solutions in the Sioux Falls, SD area, as well as in North Dakota. We can ensure that your business is adhering to all e-waste regulations and that your information remains secure. For more information or to request a quote, contact SEAM at 605-274-7326 (SEAM) or online today.