In a brand-new video on IT equipment disposal, we tackle some of your most common questions: ‘Is there really any value left in my old electronic assets?’
Ready to recycle responsibly? Then, you likely have questions about IT equipment disposal. There are, after all, a lot of issues to consider as you part with unwanted or obsolete corporate electronic assets. From protecting your data to maximizing value recovery to grasping the scope of e waste regulations — so much goes into getting IT asset disposition right.
But Global Electronic Recycling is here to help. Your business has a lot to gain from taking the lead on responsible IT recycling. In this brand-new video, our own CEO Kristina Picciotti answers some of the most common questions about IT equipment disposal that we get from businesses very much like your own.
Most businesses know they should recycle because it’s the right thing to do. But are there other benefits to recycling IT assets?
Definitely. There are financial benefits, sustainability benefits, and then, of course, the benefit of avoiding a lawsuit.
Why should my business consider IT asset remarketing?
You should consider asset remarketing because it’s the most sustainable way to participate in a recycling program. It extends the life of the device. And it’s really the greenest way to recycle. The other benefit is, of course, financial. There is the potential for financial gain from the marketing of the assets rather than recycling the assets.
What do you do with all the data on my equipment? Should I be worried about it being leaked?
You should always be concerned with your data and what happens to your data. But at Global Electronic Recycling, we take data security very seriously. All of the data is sanitized 100%, and there are a lot of checks and balances and chain of custody in place to make sure that happens. Anything that can’t be thoroughly sanitized is shredded and completely destroyed. So yes, your data is completely safe when you send it to Global.
My equipment is so old. There can’t be any value left, right?
We hear that a lot. That’s actually not true. We’ve seen devices that are as old as 20 or 25 years old, maybe even older, but still have a significant value. Not all things fall into that category, but it’s always good to check with us first to see if your asset has value before you decide to just destroy it.
Are there any consequences if my business doesn’t properly perform IT equipment disposal?
Unfortunately, yes. It is highly frowned upon for one, by the public, and two, you can get into a lot of trouble with government agencies for not properly recycling or disposing of your electronic assets. We’ve seen a lot of that in the media. You don’t want to make headlines for failing to comply with regulations for IT equipment disposal.
Have companies actually found themselves in hot water for not responsibly recycling their e waste?
Yes, that’s the unfortunate reality. We see a lot of it in the media. Most recently I read about a telecom company that’s in some hot water for illegally dumping their equipment rather than participating in a recycling program. I think the fines are in the $5-million range. And I’ve seen them go much higher. So yeah, you definitely don’t want to be a part of the mix of companies that are just tossing things in the landfill. It’s very costly.
What is a ‘sustainability leader’ and why should I care?
A sustainability leader is a person or a company of influence who can really show the world what it means to be sustainable. So participating in socially responsible and environmentally responsible programs. And anybody can be a sustainability leader. It doesn’t really take as much effort as one might think to be really sustainable.
Is ‘sustainability’ just a buzzword?
Oh, no, definitely not. Sustainability is really a model of creating a better tomorrow for the people that are going to be here long after us. It also affects us today. If you think about a device and what it takes to put a device together, all of the mining that takes place, everything that goes into it really depletes the Earth of the natural resources. So if we’re not working in a more sustainable way, like participating in a recycling program and ITAD program, you’re really just hurting tomorrow and the resources we’re going to have available to depend upon to fly, to drive, to run our tech for electricity, all kinds of things.
Do you have more questions for us about IT equipment disposal? We are never more than an email or phone call away. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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