What is Data Destruction?

Data destruction is all about securely handling and safely destroying private information that lives on your IT Assets and electronic devices. Cell phones, tablets, computers and/or laptops are all guaranteed to contain information that’s private to you and/or your business, and that you wouldn’t want to get into the wrong hands - are we right?

We’ve often heard clients tell us that they’ve “wiped” their computers or that they’ve transferred all of their data from one device to another, so why do they need Data Destruction Services? What makes professional services different, like Greentec's, different? Also, what’s important to look for when you need data destruction services, media sanitization, hard drive shredding, or other kinds of data destruction?

We’d be happy to share our insights:

First of all, a good data destruction company should have a secure chain-of-custody when dealing with your old IT assets and E-Waste. You should literally be able to see who handled your devices when and exactly how they made it from your organization to their final destination. If your service provider can’t show you this that is a red flag and you should be concerned for your security and compliance with current regulations. At Greentec we have a process in place that certifies that all electronic data devices are received at our facility exactly as they were originally acquired.

Next up, when sanitizing data from electronic devices (either on site or at a secure plant) they should use specialized software to track data wiping from devices. This process completely destroys all information while maintaining the physical integrity and value of the product, which means it can be reused or re-sold. At Greentec we call this service Certified Data Erasure. Alternatively, you may wish to have your company's hard drives and electronic devices physically destroyed so that they can never be reused or resold. In this solution, asset recovery is not an option. We use industrial shredders capable of shredding most types of media and electronic devices into small fractions, ensuring that products can never be reused or resold.

Finally, you should look for a service provider that can show you evidence that your data has been completely destroyed. We don’t mean to keep tooting our own horn, but we offer a video of the destruction process and a Certificate of Destruction once the process is done. We want you to know exactly how we handled your information, so you can sleep at night.

There you have it. These three steps, when followed and tracked properly by e-waste recycling companies that offer data destruction, will ensure your data is completely destroyed and the integrity and security of your business is maintained.