We all know that recycling is important to the environment. But many overlook that an electronics recycling program is a smart initiative for any business, whether a large corporation or a small start-up.
Electronics recycling solutions benefit both your company and the environment.
If you are wondering how to start a recycling program at work, then you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, you will discover 5 easy steps to successfully create and execute a long-term corporate 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?
- Where do I send my 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 who pick through 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 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.
Businesses Where An Electronics Recycling Program is Crucial
Many companies underestimate just how much technology they cycle through each year. It’s a common misconception that only IT-focused businesses need to implement a corporate electronics recycling program.
In reality, a wide range of industries stand to gain from one, including:
- Manufacturers
- Healthcare facilities
- Government Entities
- Schools & Universities
- Nonprofits
- Banks & Accounting Firms
While these examples highlight some of the most critical industries, the reality is that almost every business today can benefit from an electronic 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 foolproof 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
Perform asset management to assess IT equipment and identify what obsolete tech is ready to be disposed of. 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. 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 measurable and easy-to-meet expectations for your team.
If you run a large corporation with offices in several locations, you’ll need to make company-wide ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) 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.
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 them for you
Oftentimes, when you sell or donate your electronics, you are responsible for cleaning your data.
A professional certified electronics recycler will demolish it for you and send you a certificate of proof that the data was destroyed. This will give you peace of mind that your private information is truly safe and secure.
4. Learn How to Dispose of Electronics Properly
Now, make a list of all the obsolete equipment in your corporation and begin to collect and store it for recycling.
Once you have gathered all of the electronics and cleaned them to the best of your ability, you have 3 main options when it comes to ways to recycle them:
- Donating
- Selling
- Recycling Facility
Why Selling or Donating Isn’t Always Safe
At first glance, selling or donating your old electronics seems like a great idea; it keeps devices in circulation and reduces waste. However, both options come with hidden risks:
- Data Security Concerns – Even if you think devices have been wiped, advanced recovery tools can pull sensitive data from hard drives, smartphones, or servers. This could expose your company to data breaches, identity theft, or compliance violations.
- Reputation Damage – If donated or sold equipment ends up in the wrong hands or in landfills overseas, your company could be associated with poor environmental practices or irresponsible e-waste handling.
- Lack of Documentation – Donations and private sales rarely come with formal certificates of data destruction or recycling, which are often needed for compliance reporting in industries like healthcare, finance, or legal.
This leads us to the next step…
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 – Many provide on-site pickup or logistics services for large volumes, saving your team time and hassle.
- Send proof of data destruction – Look for certificates of data destruction or hard-drive shredding, which are critical for compliance and audits.
- Hold proper certifications – Reputable recyclers maintain industry-recognized certifications such as R2 and ISO.
- Use eco-friendly practices – The best recyclers prioritize responsible material recovery, hazardous waste management, and sustainable disposal.
Furthermore, you should always check company reviews before you send your electronics to them. If the facility has few to no reviews or the majority of them are negative, then you should steer clear of them.
After all, when it comes to protecting your data, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Recycle Your Business’s Electronics Responsibly
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.