Proper IT Equipment Disposal: What Do You Need to Do?

It’s crucial to dispose of IT equipment securely and in accordance with all applicable laws.

The sort and quantity of equipment you have to get rid of will determine the best strategy for your business. There are numerous approaches for getting rid of IT equipment, such as visiting an electronics recycling center in Atlanta or participating in an Apple recycle program. 

Businesses must continue to invest in networking and other IT infrastructure as digital technology advances.

It would help if you still made a crucial decision, though. How do you dispose of all of the outdated technology? What information could be on them that a determined thief could access if you toss them away?

Additionally, discarding obsolete computers and tablets is not the most environmentally friendly choice. You still have options available to you.

What Do You Need to Do?

When disposing of out-of-date IT equipment, it is crucial to have a comprehensive asset disposal plan. 

First, the WEEE regulations for disposing of electronic waste include various consumer items, including IT equipment for businesses. Thus, it would be beneficial if you kept your outdated IT equipment secure until it could be disposed of appropriately.

To prevent unauthorized access to or removal of hard drives that, even if they don’t carry much data, might still give someone access to your servers, any storage space you utilize has to be secure.

Once your equipment is ready for processing, the next step is to contact a secure IT asset disposal business. 

When integrating new IT gear, your IT staff might not always have the resources needed for the work. 

Regardless of your number of employees, you must remember that secure IT disposal is a specialized operation that requires a high degree of skill. The skills required to do the necessary substantial data cleansing are beyond the scope of the average IT officer. 

Once you’ve found a reputable contractor, the IT equipment may be removed from your site. To ensure that it reaches your approved contractor, ensure everything is recorded and accepted.

What Comes Next?

After delivery, your business’s IT equipment will be handled following all WEEE and General Data Protection Regulation regulations. 

Every piece of hardware that could contain data will first undergo a thorough cleaning. A hard drive must be erased to prevent future data recovery, not only scratched a few times to obstruct reading.

The equipment can subsequently be reprocessed in compliance with the WEEE directive when crucial data security safeguards have been implemented. 

Your outdated computers, or at least some of their components, may therefore earn a second shot at life. I’ll say it again: They only do this when it is guaranteed that there won’t be a data breach.

Conclusion 

When disposing of IT equipment, it is important to do so correctly. There are a few options available, and the best option will vary depending on the type of equipment and the amount of data stored on it. In general, however, seeking a company that offers Atlanta electronic recycling is the best way to dispose of IT equipment. This will ensure that all the data on the equipment is destroyed and that the equipment is disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way.

Electronics recycling and disposal are two services Atlanta Green Recycling offers to commercial and residential clients in the Atlanta area. Contact us if you’re looking for an electronics recycling center in Atlanta!