Electronics Recycling vs IT Asset Disposition
We all know that electronics recycling helps the environment. But what if your end-of-life IT Assets still hold value…do you just throw them away? There are many scenarios where companies may choose to work with an electronics recycling vendor versus an IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) vendor when disposing of their end-of-life IT Assets. Let’s take a look at the processes for both.
For those of you unfamiliar with IT Asset Disposition, an ITAD company is a lot like a recycling company….they specialize in old technology and get rid of it for you. However, an ITAD has a different priority from recyclers, who are chiefly after the materials and deal in bulk volumes. ITAD providers consider not only the risk posed by the materials in electronics and what happens to those materials in landfills, but the risk to your company once your data leaves your hands. ITAD providers will have more than one way of ensuring your devices are wiped clean of all data before they go on to their next life.
Choose electronics recycling if:
- Your electronic assets are broken beyond repair or exceed their end-of-life date. This means they can’t be refurbished and no longer hold any monetary value.
- You don’t mind paying to have your assets destroyed.
- You don’t need any reporting services and don’t require a certificate of destruction (CoD).
- You’re fine with multiple fee scales for recycling services based on the type of material, weight or volume.
Choose IT Asset Disposition if:
- Your assets are less than five years old and still function or seem repairable.
- Your assets store sensitive data and you want to avoid a data breach. ITAD helps you protect your customer’s data and your brand image.
- You want documentation of services rendered and peace of mind that your data is properly destroyed.
- You’re interested in retrieving device-licensed software from end-of-life assets.
- You’re interested in a return on your initial investment. You may receive a return on your assets if the equipment can be refurbished.
- You want to work with a company that is aware of and abides by industry regulations. Maintaining compliance is important to you.
- You want to work with an environmentally conscious company that strives to minimize its carbon footprint by refurbishing any equipment it can and harvesting parts for the repair of other equipment.
- You want to provide businesses and individuals who do not need – or can’t afford – brand-new equipment an opportunity to access IT assets economically.
Which process is right for you?
Start by taking an inventory of all the IT assets within your company. Then take a look at how long you hold on to those assets. Do you typically have employees use them until they break or exceed their lifespan. Or, do you replace laptops, computer monitors phones, etc. on a regular basis? Once you’ve determined what your IT asset environment looks like, you’ll be able to decide on which end-of-life process works best for you and your company.
