E-Waste – The Best Way to Dispose of It
Are you guilty of keeping old computers, CDs and other media just laying around collecting dust in the backroom because you are unsure what do to with them? Often, this happens due to lack of time or uncertainty of how to properly dispose of electronic waste (or commonly known as e-waste) because there is still valuable information contained on the media.
Without proper disposal, your business can be set up for potential risks including a data breach or potential identity theft. So, what options do you have to take care of your e-waste?
Recycling E-Waste
While you might feel good about doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint, recycling can be what seems like an easy solution, but it could damage your business. Even after deleting the files on your system, they are still accessible to potential thieves. Recycling sounds good in theory, but usually the company or organization doing the recycling does not have your best interests in mind when it comes to the privacy and security of your data.
Do It Yourself Methods
A simple Google search on “how do you destroy a hard drive” will yield thousands of results on how you can do-it-yourself. Different recommendations include using a hammer, drilling holes, or even bleaching your hard drive. These methods are dangerous and not effective for keeping your data safe.
One criminal thought a simple solution to destroying his hard drive would be to throw it in the lake. While this may have short circuited the computer, the data was still available and easy to access on the hard drive. While these DIY methods might seem like the way to go, they could set you up for liability and trouble down the line if your media got into the wrong hands.
Dispose of Your E-Waste Properly
The most effective and safest way to properly dispose of your e-waste is to work with a NAID AAA Certified vendor that specializes in destroying different types of media.
Stevens & Stevens’ Data Destruction Service follows these guidelines and can shred your hard drives, storage tapes, DVDs, CDs, zip drives and all other e-waste. Our method leaves behind an unreadable pile of debris. Plus, it eliminates the potential hazard of do-it-yourself methods. We’ll also provide you with a Certificate of Destruction which serves as proof of your compliance and corporate due diligence. If you’d like to learn more about our media destruction services, click here.
