IT asset disposition (ITAD) is more than a security measure, it also helps to promote a more sustainable approach to e-waste. There are over 347 million tons of unrecycled e-waste on earth with the figure growing at a rate of 2 million tons every year—making e-waste management a necessary pillar in all organizations to reduce their global impact.
With a responsible ITAD policy that’s tuned toward sustainability and data protection, businesses are able to feel confident about their future and potentially see cost reductions.
Four Steps Toward Responsible ITAD
There are four key steps that enterprise IT can take to put in place to build a responsible ITAD policy:
1. Conduct a Physical Audit
Executing an audit of your devices gives your organization a complete list of every asset and its age, condition, and productivity. Doing so can help you pinpoint redundant IT assets that could be upgraded and redistributed, prepared for resale, or recycled. However, conducting an audit is more challenging than it may seem, especially if you have a hybrid workforce. A skilled ITAD partner will conduct an audit service to accurately catalog the end-of-life IT assets and offer compliant and secure disposal methods.
2. Create a Robust ITAD Framework
All assets should be covered by your ITAD policy, regardless of their lifecycle stage. Your plan should include how you prepare equipment marked for resale or upcycling and the steps you’ll take toward data destruction. It should cover any on-site data erasure and data center decommissioning, thanks to the ever-growing shift to cloud-based services. Finally, it should also cover end-point devices, which are ripe for data breaches and security concerns. By documenting your policies, you demonstrate your compliance with data destruction requirements and environmental waste legislation.
3. Dispose Responsibly
A major pillar in responsible ITAD is the proper disposal of your IT assets. Joining the circular economy is one way to keep your tech out of landfills. This is where an asset is purchased, used, repaired or parts are harvested for other manufacturers, to be used again—AKA a circle—in comparison to the linear economy where an asset is purchased, used, and thrown away. By reselling, repurposing, or having components re-enter the manufacturing process you’re keeping dangerous e-waste out of the trash.
4. Use a Professional ITAD Service
With a professional ITAD partner, you obtain peace of mind knowing the audit and disposal of your products will be handled with the utmost care. Most ITAD service providers document the chain of custody your assets follow—this helps to ensure you’re in compliance. Additionally, once your assets reach their end-of-life, a partner could help you liquidate your assets that contain sensitive data, effectively eliminating your risk.
OSI Global for Sustainable ITAD Needs
OSI Global stands as a reliable partner in offering sustainable ITAD services. By choosing OSI Global for your ITAD needs, you can rest assured that your sensitive data will be safeguarded throughout the disposal process and ensure a responsible approach to e-waste management. Chat with an expert today.