It can be a challenge disposing of your organization’s old computer equipment, technology, and electronic waste. For security purposes, it may be necessary to factory reset all your devices to completely erase them. Or, you may need to physically destroy them via drill holes, magnets, or a hammer.
But, there’s an easier way to securely – and responsibly – dispose of your old old hardware.
Schupan’s electronic waste drop is the ideal way to recycle your old laptop, computer, or unused electronics. By utilizing our R2v3-certified electronics recycling services, you can be confident that your data is fully wiped or destroyed, your machine’s batteries are properly removed, and that we’re taking concrete steps to preserve the environment.
Environmental Risks of Electronic Waste
Electronic waste, also called e-waste, is a global problem. Every year, over 60 million tonnes of e-waste are produced, and only 22% of e-waste is recorded as collected or recycled. With such a massive shortfall, the toxic substances in obsolete electronics can leach into the environment, where they can wreak havoc on our planet, our community, and our bodies.
Soil and Water Contamination
If your old computer equipment isn’t disposed of properly, toxic materials inside it can leach into the soil and groundwater. When thrown into the garbage, e-waste often finds its way to landfills, which can cause irreparable harm to the habitats, animals, and people in the area.
Greenhouse Gases
Electronic waste disposal can result in increased greenhouse gases, both directly and indirectly. In a direct way, the organic materials in electronics create methane and other greenhouse gases when they decay. And, indirect emissions are produced as demand for newer products results in increased manufacturing.
Hazardous to Health
As we’ve said, many of the materials in your computer, hard drive, and laptop are toxic. Mercury, cadmium, and lead can all lead to major health problems if they’re ingested or inhaled, including neurological issues, learning disabilities, and impaired coordination. Worst of all, children are the most vulnerable to exposure and often suffer the most devastating effects.
Materials Depletion
Earth only has so many resources, and electronics require a lot of materials to produce. When you recycle computers, you’re able to retain the gold, silver, copper, and other rare metals in them, which reduces the need to mine more materials and, in turn, alleviates the strain placed on our Earth.
Ways to Reuse Your Old Computer
Donating
Before it’s recycled, ask yourself if anyone could benefit from your old electronic equipment. As a way to reduce electronic waste, donating an old laptop is a great option. If you choose to donate to Schupan, and it’s determined your old computer cannot be reused, then it will be properly recycled according to industry standards. Alternately, you can likely get a tax deduction if you give your devices to a qualified charity, including:
- Goodwill
- Local schools
- World Computer Exchange
Recycling
Most batteries, devices, and electronics can be recycled. In fact, recycling old computers is one of the best ways to ensure the security of your data. Many people don’t know that deleting a file on their computer doesn’t actually remove the file, it just eliminates the path to that file. Anyone experienced with technology can easily find deleted files on your old systems.
Every year, identity theft costs Americans $43 billion. So, if you want to be certain that your data has been erased, you need to totally destroy the hard drive. As part of Schupan’s ITAD services, we fully wipe data in accordance with NIST 800-88, so you can be completely sure that the data cannot be recovered.
Repurposing
Just because your laptop computer is old, that doesn’t mean it’s useless! You can use the laptop for a range of fun projects, including:
- Classic video game system
- DIY security monitors
- Chromebook for Google apps
- Plex Media Server
How We Recycle Computers at Schupan
In addition to general recycling, Schupan offers a number of electronics recycling services. We know that managing your end-of-life assets can be a challenge, so we’ve worked hard to make it simple to remove, erase, and dispose of old electronics.
R2v3-Certified Data Destruction
If you work with sensitive information or have valuable intellectual property stored on your hard drive, you need to be certain that all of your old devices are permanently erased and completely unrecoverable. Schupan guarantees a safe and secure recycling process that safeguards your confidential information, complies with all federal guidelines and regulations, and helps to avoid unauthorized access.
Hard Drive Shredding
To be 100% confident that your data is unrecoverable, Schupan provides hard drive shredding, which physically destroys your hard drives, including solid-state drives, traditional platters, and other storage media. As part of our electronics recycling services, we fully wipe your used drive in accordance with NIST 800-88 and protect all confidential records in accordance with FERPA, HIPAA, and other US Government guidelines.
Asset Value Recovery
When it’s possible it’s always preferable to reuse, repurpose, or redeploy your end-of-life assets. After they’ve been fully erased, old servers, laptops, and computers can find new life in different areas of your business. Or, they can be refurbished, sold, or donated to charity. Recovering your old assets can help you recoup investments, minimize waste, and improve efficiency.
Getting Rid of Old Electronic Equipment?
If you’re still not sure how to dispose of a laptop or what to do with old computers, the experts at Schupan are here to help. We are worldwide leaders in hard drive recycling, asset disposal, and industrial recycling.
We understand how important it is to recycle hazardous devices and old computer equipment. It has a real, measurable impact on our quality of life, on the beauty of our community, and on the longevity of our planet. So, whether you have a years-old laptop, a few broken monitors, or a full bank of depleted batteries, don’t hesitate to call us or visit us at one of our convenient locations.
