Why your business should let the pros recycle your electronics

Technology is moving fast. Today’s smartphones have more computing power than a desktop from 10 years ago. The result for many businesses is backrooms and storage spaces filled with outmoded technology.

We also live in an era of decluttered workplaces. Yet getting rid of old IT equipment and computer recycling is more complicated than simply selling it off or throwing it out. Even a 20-year-old desktop might contain sensitive information about a business and its clients. Personal data breaches can cost companies millions of dollars in legal fines as well as bad publicity. And you can’t just smash up old electronics and toss them in a dump — most contain components that are hazardous to humans and bad for the environment.

“A lot of the logistics involved in the deployment of new Information Technology is often done in an unsafe manner,” says Tony Perrotta, founder and CEO of Greentec, a company based in Cambridge, Ontario, that offers secure data destruction and electronics recycling services.  Organizations may have expertise in erasing sensitive information but not in how to properly recycle their electronics. Others may not be familiar with government privacy regulations and assume that data stored on obsolete computers is not a risk. And if you think you can ignore the problem by storing old laptops in a dusty closet, that’s a problem, too. “If you’re not tracking where your assets are,” says Perrotta, “a security breach can happen.”

According to Perrotta, “most people don’t realize how much information is being recorded by electronic devices.” Mobile phones, laptops, tablets, hard drives, USB sticks, even photocopiers, all store data. Even when you think you’ve deleted a file, private information can still linger.

This is where a service like Greentec can help. The company has Responsible Recycling Practices (R2) and National Association for Information Destruction (NAID) certifications and is a Partner Supplier with Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace (OECM), which means that all of its data destruction and recycling processes meet all government regulations.

Greentec recycles old and outdated IT equipment securely and safely in an environmentally conscious manner. Not only will it clean any electronics of potentially damaging data, it will also simplify the process of confidential data destruction by picking up your unwanted tech. (“It can be a health and safety issue,” says Perrotta. “IT professionals aren’t necessarily trained to move a lot of equipment.”) Greentec got its start back in 1995 by recycling spent printer cartridges, and it has invested a lot in keeping hazardous materials out of landfills. The company operates a licensed processing facility to shred e-waste and recover metals and commodities for recycling.

Perrotta’s clients typically represent groups from banking, legal services, insurance, health care and education. Whether they come from the public or private sector, they recognize the value in avoiding potentially costly security breaches and environmental non compliance by not having to store old electronics. An organization might be able to refurbish some devices. And with a large volume of electronics, there may even be money in recovering the reusable components and precious metals they contain.

“There’s a lot going on in business,” Perrotta says. “Companies are moving and merging and this usually results in a surplus of assets.” When it comes time for a business to upgrade its IT, which these days happens often, it can be a relief to hand the daunting the task of IT disposal to an expert.

Learn more about confidential data destruction in Toronto and how to recycle your electronics in Ontario by visiting greentec.com.