SEAM ITAD Podcast: Shredding vs. Sanitization— What’s Best for Your Data-Containing Devices?
Join our Vice President/Compliance Engineer, Paul Baldwin, for the SEAM ITAD Podcast, your go-to resource for IT asset disposition.
In this episode, we’re discussing the important question: Shredding vs. Sanitization— What’s Best for Your Data-Containing Devices?
When it comes to retiring hard drives and solid-state drives, choosing the right method is crucial to protecting your organization’s data while meeting industry standards. Let’s dive in.
The Case for Shredding
Shredding is the go-to method for organizations with strict security needs. This process physically destroys your drives, rendering data completely unrecoverable. At SEAM, we have an industrial shredder that can destroy 300 drives per hour, ensuring swift and secure disposal.
Not All Shredding Is Created Equal
It’s important to note that shredding must be done correctly to guarantee security. At SEAM, we follow the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) 800-88 guidelines, ensuring that all drives are destroyed to secure standards. Additionally, as a NAID AAA certified vendor, our processes are backed by third-party audits, giving you confidence that your data is protected.
Certificate of Destruction
When you choose shredding with a certified ITAD provider, you receive a verifiable Certificate of Destruction. This document proves that the drives were destroyed properly—an essential record for audits, compliance checks, and peace of mind.
The Case for Sanitization
If your drives don’t require physical destruction, sanitization offers another excellent option. Using NIST’s rigorous processes, we overwrite your data to make it completely unrecoverable while keeping the drive intact for potential reuse or resale.
Why Choose Sanitization?
- Maximizes Value – Sanitization allows your organization to repurpose functional drives, turning a potential cost into a financial opportunity.
- Environmentally Friendly – Reusing whole unit devices extends their life cycle before they eventually get recycled into raw materials.
Warning: Sanitization Must Be Done Right
Like shredding, sanitization must be performed correctly to ensure data security. A NAID AAA certified vendor guarantees that every drive is wiped securely and in compliance with NIST standards. Just like with shredding, you’ll receive a third-party backed certificate verifying that sanitization was successful.
Why Work with a Certified ITAD Provider?
Choosing a certified ITAD provider like SEAM ensures that your drives are handled with the utmost care and in compliance with industry best practices. Certifications such as NAID AAA, e-Stewards, and R2 ensure that every step of the process—from pickup to destruction or sanitization—is audited and secure.
For your organization, this means:
- Peace of mind knowing your data is safe
- Proper documentation for audits and compliance
- Protection from risks like data breaches or regulatory penalties
Which Option Is Right for You?
The right choice depends on your organization’s needs:
- If absolute security and no chance of reuse is your priority, shredding is the way to go.
- If you want to recover value while staying secure, sanitization is your best bet.
The key is working with a certified ITAD provider to ensure the process is secure, compliant, and tailored to your organization’s goals.
Have Questions?
If you have questions about shredding, sanitization, or how ITAD best practices can protect your business, contact us online or give us a call.
Until next time, keep it safe, and we’ll keep it seamless.
SEAM provides IT recycling and data destruction services including onsite shredding and hard drive wiping to South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.
Schedule a pickup or contact us for more information.
