Your e-Cycling and Data Destruction Questions, Answered

Image_for_Reclamere-Mar_2018-Blog-Your_e-Cycling_and_Data_Destruction_Questions,_Answered

Here at Reclamere, we get a lot of questions about electronics recycling and data destruction. We know there’s a lot of misinformation out there, so we’d like to share our expert answers to your most common questions. Here’s what you need to know:

Q: Am I required by law to destroy business data?

A:  Yes. Organizations in the education, healthcare, legal, and financial sectors must comply with the following regulations:

  • HIPAA
  • FACTA
  • SOX
  • GLBA
  • PCI

These federal laws require extensive documentation and proof of the data destruction process. To prove your compliance, you must be able to produce a Certificate of Destruction documenting the serial numbers of your destroyed devices.

Q: Why shouldn’t I use a no-cost electronics recycler?

A: Free recyclers are problematic for several reasons. The law holds you ultimately responsible for the end-of-life-disposition of data and electronics, but free recycling services can’t offer you the type of risk management that you require. Digital data that is not properly destroyed can become your next nightmare, compounding your privacy breach risks by making your information available to any identity thief. Outsourcing your data destruction to a NAID AAA Certified destruction partner saves time and money, and minimizes your risk of identity theft and business fraud.

Look for a certified data destruction provider that destroys your data according to the following standards and requirements:

  • The National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST)
  • The Department of Defense (DOD)
  • The National Association of Information Destruction (NAID)

Q: I’m thinking about selling my old IT equipment. Is this a good idea?

A:  No. It’s not worth the risk. A recent study by NAID found that 40 percent of used electronic devices sold on the secondhand market contained personally identifiable information (PII), which is protected by law. Making a few dollars by selling your devices isn’t worth the risk and potentially exorbitant cost of having your data compromised. A certified data destruction service will securely wipe or physically destroy your devices using special processes designed to permanently destroy your data.

Q: How does a data destruction service work?

A: A background-checked, uniformed professional driver delivers secure electronics collection carts that serve as rolling cages for you to fill with your electronics and data-containing devices. When the cages are filled, a background-screened driver collects and places them in a locked, GPS-tracked vehicle for transfer to the destruction facility, following a strict chain of custody. Your secure carts are tracked through every stage of destruction. After your electronics are sorted at the destruction facility, you are given a Certificate of Destruction for your records.

Your electronics are removed and destroyed as often as you need them to be. Whether weekly, monthly, quarterly, or on an as-needed basis, you get data destruction tailored to your unique needs.

Q: What should I do to prepare my electronics for recycling and data destruction?

A: Nothing! Give your destruction partner your electronics or deposit them in the secure cart “as-is,” and you’re good to go.

Q: Will my electronics ever be reused rather than destroyed and recycled?

A: Depending upon the quality of the equipment, we may use our secure media degaussing and erasure process in order to permanently delete your data and sell the equipment to offset the cost of environmentally-responsible recycling.

Q: What happens to the e-waste from my destroyed devices?

Your e-waste is processed and recycled in accordance with EPA, DEP, and ISO14001 regulations, responsibly recycling all possible materials and protecting our environment.

Reclamere provides electronic recycling and NAID AAA Certified data destruction solutions to businesses in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States. If you have a data destruction question we haven’t answered here, please call us at 814-684-5505 or complete the form on this page. Your questions are important to us!

Get Updates

"*" indicates required fields

Request Your Quote

Click Here for a Detailed Quote.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Reclamere Information Lifecycle

NAID AAA Certification

Certified for:

Plant-Based Computer Media & SSD Destruction-Physical & Sanitization

Mobile Computer Media Destruction-Physical

Learn more about our:

Learn about our partnership with:

View our score on SecurityScorecard:

View our SOC 2 Type 1 Certificate: