Text Us
The holidays are a popular time for receiving new electronics, especially computers. Once you transfer the data from your old machine to the new, you’ll probably decide on computer recycling for yesterday’s model. Computer recycling used to be fairly easy: remove and smash the hard drive and then dispose of the shell. Today it isn’t quite so simple.
The electronics we use are built with a host of environmentally harmful chemicals such as cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic and phosphors. When deposited in landfills, these chemicals over time seep into the ground water supply. Proper disposal of electronics, then, is paramount. The good news is that we’re seeing a huge amount of growth in the electronics recycling industry, but the rise of these new companies has also increased the chances of getting computer recycling all wrong. Here are three simple rules you can follow in order to avoid making the most common computer recycling mistakes:
Rule #1 – Use a Certified Recycler
In Sonoma County it is illegal to dispose of electronics with your regular trash. As a result, a lot of companies have sprung up who claim they will properly recycle your computer. The truth, though, is that the number of companies who can actually do so is quite small, so take the time to know who your recycler is.
Finding a reputable computer recycling service isn’t difficult if you know what to look for. Has the company been in business for a healthy length of time? Most importantly, is it certified by either e-Stewards or R2 Solutions – or both? If the answer to both questions is yes, then the odds are good that your data privacy, along with the environment, will be properly protected. Ask your e-waste disposal company about their plant safety record, security, and employee training. Also ask about how it handles and disposes of hazardous materials. The best company to work with is not the one that promises to work with a certified recycler down the road, it is the one that is a certified recycler itself.
Rule #2 – If It Sounds Too Good to be True . . .
. . . it probably is. Have you heard the expression “You can’t afford cheap?” It applies to a lot of what we buy, and it holds especially true for computer recycling. Don’t be duped by so-called free computer recycling services that are popping up all over Sonoma County these days. The bottom line is that responsible computer recycling is not free or cheap. If you choose to use a “free” service, you run two distinct risks:
- Cutting corners by using a non-certified recycler creates a risk that your electronic equipment will end up in the wrong hands, creating a possible sensitive data breach, as well as environmental degradation.
- A “free” service makes it likely you will not get the full value you deserve for your equipment. If you’ve decided to get to know your recycler, as spelled out in Rule #1, you’ll rest easy knowing your company is adequately compensated.
Rule #3 – Make a Plan and Stick to It
In February 2013, the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued a Cybersecurity Framework to help create a best practices plan for the disposition of electronic equipment. As you develop a data security plan, be sure to include protocols for computer recycling and include language that mandates the use of certified recyclers for all IT asset and electronic disposal.
When you’re ready to dispose of your old electronics, follow these three rules and then talk to us about how to best safely and efficiently recycle your outdated equipment.
