Don’t toss your old hard drives in the trash. Not only is it bad for the environment, it runs the risk of identity theft.
Computers and other electronics do not have an indefinite life span. While we rely on cloud technology to store much of our data, the truth is computers and hard drives will always be a necessity. If you’re in need of an upgrade, don’t think about tossing your old hard drives in the trash. Not only is it bad for the environment, it runs the risk of identity theft.
The hard drive is, in a nutshell, your computer’s storage device. Everything you keep on your computer is stored here. Your programs, your preferences, even your operating system—they’re all stored on your computer’s hard drive.
The information kept on the hard drive is stored indefinitely, even if the device is inoperable. It is imperative to remove and destroy the hard drive before selling, donating, or recycling the equipment. Aside from the identity protection benefits, what are the environmental benefits of electronics recycling?
Conserving Natural Resources
As with any type of recycling, there are many materials that can be recovered from old electronics. Reusing these materials means that less raw materials will need to be mined for new products.
You Support Your Communities
Donating old electronics such as computers and cell phones plays an important role in the refurbishing of these products. Refurbished electronics can be of great help to low-income families, not-for-profit organizations, and even schools who may not otherwise be able to afford new electronics.
Electronics Recycling Protects Public Health
Toxic or hazardous materials, such as mercury and lead, are found in many electronics. If electronics are improperly disposed of, these hazardous materials can be harmful to the environment, and anyone who is exposed to them. Recycling these electronics ensures that they are properly handled, thus greatly reducing the chances of exposure to these hazardous materials.
The best practice to get rid of your old electronics is by utilizing a professional shredding service. Legal Shred offers hard drive destruction services through the use of our shredders; this method works similarly to how we destroy paper documents, except it is the hard drive that is being shredded into unusable pieces. Data is impossible to retrieve once it has been pulverized. What’s more, we can recycle the old parts for you.
Hard drive and electronics shredding are the only true ways to achieve peace of mind when disposing of unneeded devices.
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