What IT Assets Can Your Business Recycle?

The first thing you need to know about responsible e-waste disposal is that you should recycle any and all electronics.  Unfortunately, electronic devices, and especially computer equipment and devices, are often full of your private information you need to protect and laden with toxins that could prove harmful if they escape into the environment, say in a landfill.  This, in turn, could poison and pollute the air, soil, and waterways, negatively impacting surrounding ecosystems in your community or elsewhere (like undeveloped nations where e-wastes is commonly dumped).

Still, if you’ve tried recycling on your own, you may have found that local recycling centers are somewhat restrictive when it comes to the types of electronic devices they’ll accept.  Or perhaps they lack the level of security you need to fully comply with consumer privacy laws.  Maybe they’re not terribly forthcoming about their downstream practices (i.e. other vendors they subcontract with for destruction or recycling purposes).

So what can you do to ensure that you comply with all applicable rules and regulations when it comes to e-waste recycling, and which IT assets can you actually recycle?  Here’s what every North Dakota and South Dakota business owner should know.

Partnering with a Certified ITAD Service Provider

The best way to save time and money while ensuring compliance with environmental and data privacy laws when it comes to e-waste recycling is to partner with a certified ITAD service provider, one that holds certifications from R2 and eStewards, proving that they submit to third-party auditing and oversight in order to maintain their certified status.

You’ll want to choose a reputable provider that offers on-site shredding or transport of IT assets to a secure facility for shredding, complete with a 24/7 tracking portal (by device serial number) and proof of destruction via Certificates of Destruction and Recycling.  If you’re interested in even more eco-friendly options, like giving devices a second life by thoroughly wiping them in preparation for remarketing and resale, consider a service provider that offers both options.

What You Can Recycle

When it comes to IT asset recycling, you’ll want to comparison shop to find a company that not only offers the security features and assurances you need, but also the flexibility to recycle a wide variety of equipment and devices.  For starters, they’ll have to accept common devices like desktop computers and laptops, as well as tablets and cell phones – the basic equipment every company uses these days.

Destruction and recycling should also include anything that stores confidential data, such as servers, hard drives, flash drives, SSDs, CDs, DVDs, and so on.  Many companies still use printers, copiers, scanners, and fax machines, as well, so a partner that takes these is ideal.

You may also want to ask about peripherals like monitors and computer accessories (keyboards, mouses, etc.), audio and video equipment, and even items like batteries and backups, ink cartridges, fluorescent bulbs, and unique items like medical devices or lab equipment.  A good company will have no trouble supplying you with lists of items they accept for recycling and those they don’t.

If your South Dakota or North Dakota company is interested in partnering with a certified ITAD service provider to recycle your many IT assets, contact the accommodating professionals at SEAM today at 605-274-7326 (SEAM) or online to learn more and request a quote. You can find a list of the IT assets they accept for data destruction and IT recycling here.