An electronics recycling program is a great initiative for any business to take. From large corporations to small start-ups, electronics recycling solutions will benefit both your company and the environment.
However, there’s one small problem – you don’t know where to begin!
If you are wondering how to start a recycling program at work, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you will discover 5 easy steps to successfully create and execute a long-term electronics recycling program.
All of your questions will be answered, including:
- What types of electronics can I recycle?
- How do I properly dispose of electronics?
- Should I destroy my corporation’s data before recycling?
- How do I encourage my employees to apply the new recycling guidelines?
Last but not least, you will also learn where to send your old workplace electronics to be processed and recycled. But first, let’s discuss the benefits of introducing electronics recycling solutions to your company culture.
How Electronics Recycling Solutions Benefit Businesses
For starters, there are many benefits to electronics recycling. Here are some to name just a few!
Protect the Environment
As you probably already know, recycling is great for the environment.
When electronics are tossed into landfills, they have the potential to break and leach toxic chemicals into the surrounding area. This can pollute our water sources and hurt humans, plants, and animals.
However, when they’re reused or recycled, then the deadly materials inside of them are properly removed and safely discarded.
Safeguard Your Private Assets
When you set up an electronics recycling program at your work, you will automatically reduce the chance of hackers uncovering your personal data.
Too often, companies that throw their old devices into the trash succumb to data thieves that pick their discarded electronics and mine the unwiped drives.
Obviously, this can lead to many severe problems for you, your employees, and even your customers, including huge legal fees and leaked information. Instead, a solid recycling program will ensure all of your data is destroyed before it ends up in the wrong hands.
Make a Profit
Your electronics might be obsolete, but that doesn’t mean they are worthless!
For example, some devices such as smartphones and tablets contain rare earth minerals inside of them. These special elements are valuable and can be recycled and reused. Therefore, people will oftentimes pay you to take them off of your hands.
Many electronics recycling companies will also pay you for your old electronics. At the end of the day, your corporation will definitely benefit from a recycling program.
5 Steps to Create an Electronics Recycling Program at Work
Ready to learn how to start a recycling program at work? Follow these 5 simple steps to build and implement a fool-proof electronics recycling plan.
1. Know What Electronics to Recycle
First things first, you need to know exactly what kind of electronics are recyclable.
In general, you can recycle obsolete IT equipment such as:
- Outdated computers
- Old cellphones, smartphones, and tablets
- Fax machines
- Wired landlines
- Flash drives
Other types of recyclable electronics include:
- Television sets
- DVD/VHS players
- Projectors
- Radios
- Circuit boards
- Audio video equipment
If you’re unsure about an old device in your office, simply call your local electronics recycling facility to see if it’s recyclable.
2. Learn How to Dispose of Electronics Properly
Now that you have an idea of what is recyclable, you can make a list of all the obsolete equipment in your corporation and begin to collect and store it for recycling. This is the next step in the process.
Once you have gathered all of the electronics, it’s time to read up on the proper protocol before getting rid of them. For instance, you’ll need to decide how you will dispose of the electronics. You have 3 main options:
- Donate
- Sell
- Recycle
After you choose what you’ll do with the equipment, you should wipe or destroy any data found in each device. This leads us to the next step…
3. Protect Your Data
Guarding your data is arguably the most important part of any electronics recycling program. To do so, you’ll need to either wipe private information from drives or completely destroy the data.
Unfortunately, thieves use data recovery tools to pull out any information left on drives and in devices. Luckily, you can avoid this risk by following the tips below:
- Do not throw old devices in the trash
- Wipe the electronics clean before you sell or donate them
- Take out and destroy all drives if you plan to recycle
- Send your electronics to a trustworthy recycling facility to destroy it for you
It’s best to cover all of your bases and permanently destroy the data. A professional electronics recycler will demolish it for you and send you a certificate of proof. This will give you peace of mind that your private information is truly safe and secure.
4. Set Basic Criteria for Your Plan
Next, create a corporate electronics recycling plan with step-by-step electronics recycling solutions to jump-start your initiative. You’ll want to set expectations for your team that are measurable and easy to meet.
Especially if you run a large corporation with offices in several locations, then you’ll need to make company-wide policies, guidelines, and rules for employees to follow. Some examples may include:
- Specify a distinct location to store electronics before they are recycled
- Appoint team leaders to collect the devices
- Give presentations that discuss the benefits of recycling
- Explain why you are incorporating electronics recycling solutions at work
- Make annual benchmarks for the collection and disposal of electronics
Next, create incentives to recycle. If your employees will gain value out of the experience, then they’ll be encouraged to stick to the plan.
Remember, the easier and more enticing you make it to recycle, the more success you’ll see.
5. Choose the Right Electronics Recycling Company
Last but not least, you should research electronics recycling companies to send your old devices to. So, how do you know which recycler is right for you? Good question! The answer is pretty straightforward.
A good electronics recycling company will:
- Pick up your electronics
- Send proof of data destruction
- Obtain the proper certifications for recycling
- Use eco-friendly practices
Furthermore, you should always check company reviews before you send your electronics to them. If the facility has little to no reviews or the majority of them are negative, then you should steer clear from them.
After all, when it comes to protecting your data, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
We Can Help Your Business Recycle Electronics!
Now that you know how to start a recycling program at work, it’s time to implement your plan. As you’ve learned throughout this article, it’s absolutely vital to use an experienced and trustworthy electronics recycling facility to recycle your used devices.
At Great Lakes Electronics, we have years of electronics recycling under our belt. From obsolete IT equipment recycling to total data destruction, we do it all. If you’re ready to add us to your electronics recycling plan, then request a quote or give us a call at 888-392-7831.