Data safety can’t be ignored, here’s why…
Are there any IT assets that don’t store, access, process or backup data in today’s digital world? Irrespective of its function, the majority of electronics deal with data in some way whether on a memory card, USB flash drive, hard drive or other. Even though this isn’t a new concept to mull over when dealing with IT equipment in its live environment, however, it is often ignored when it comes to responsible ITAD in Toronto.
If you weren’t already thinking about data safety in your electronics recycling program, it would be best to prioritize it. Reports have shown the global average cost of a data infringement to be $4.2 million, a figure that continues to increase. Taking every safety measure to put a stop to a data violation from taking place is very important.
Although data violations take place often by bypassing network security distantly, physical efforts to steal local files are common as well. Physical data-stealing efforts can take place whether devices are in use or are collected for recycling. There are some areas throughout the process of electronic recycling in Mississauga where without sufficient security protocols in place, items can be at risk for data threats.
Reuse is the 1st step of recycling
A lot of businesses decide to allow the reuse of their retired or replaced IT assets as an alternative that delivers back the most returned value. TechReset is a reputed and trustworthy ITAD vendor that can present this to you as a prospect for a new revenue stream and the process alone helps lessen the impact on the environment on the whole.
When mulling over the reuse of IT equipment, it is encouraged to ensure that you use a suitable partner. If the recycling vendor is also dealing with the reuse of equipment, look into the secure data erasure and wiping services they offer to make sure they are carried out adequately.
Negligent recycling can boost physical data threats
The procedure of e-waste recycling in Toronto entails the collection, testing or tracking, remarketing and final disposition and recycling of materials. Based on the actual condition of the IT assets at the time of collection, data may remain on storage devices. When working with a genuine recycler, there will be some mechanical operation and infrastructure in place to take devices apart, detach components (including the elimination of any harmful waste), and destroy materials into different types.
Once cut into strips, the material is separated again, and the valuable commodities are sent to downstream refineries and recyclers for reuse. These processed commodities are sold to manufacturers to be made into new products. There have been several situations, however, where such steps weren’t taken and devices ended up dumped in developing nations. When this takes place, it does not just turn out to be an environmental disaster in addition to a PR nightmare, but this can even leave you at risk of data exposure as well.
In some scenarios, data can be recovered from hard drives destroyed for recycling
Believe it or not, if someone really wanted to try and recover data from a destroyed hard drive, there are ways they could try to rebuild the data from the destroyed bits. While unlikely, this is feasible. It is for this reason that selecting specialized hard drive shredding and data destruction services by TechReset wisely may go a long way. Considerations for making sure data destruction might include the following:
- Checking security standards put into practice and maintained by the ITAD service provider
- See data removal and destruction processes
- Erasing data (using wiping or degaussing) prior to destroying
Recycling of electronics is often viewed from an environmental perspective as conserving resources and reducing waste but as you can see, these services provide a lot more value. Data safety is vital and TechReset makes sure you are protected. It is recommended to take your IT asset disposition program seriously and mull over the entire security aspects of the process to make sure your company data, brand, and liability is protected.
To learn more about safe recycling and e-waste disposal in Toronto by TechReset, feel free to give us our experts a call at 905 510 8969 or drop an e-mail at mark@techreset.com!
