When people think of e-waste recycling, they probably often think about the electronic waste disposal of large IT companies or huge corporations.
And while it’s true that large businesses need to have proper electronic recycling practices as well, small businesses are not exempt.
Smaller businesses still handle sensitive materials of other companies and people, and therefore, need a recycling procedure that ensures the safety of the information stored on recycled servers and computers coming from them.
Small Businesses Need Data Security, Too
It’s always good to be safe, and any business should make an effort to ensure the safety of the sensitive information they handle.
Small businesses arguably need to be more cautious than bigger ones when disposing of their electronics.
Here’s why small businesses also need to be careful about electronic disposal.
1. Targets for Hackers
Hackers have increasingly started to target businesses with fewer than 2,500 employees.
This could be for many reasons: bigger targets are too difficult or too obvious, perhaps. But regardless of their reasons, smaller businesses need to be on the alert when it comes to hackers.
Now is not the time to be lazy with data security and ensuring the proper disposal of old electronics will go tremendous lengths in doing just that.
2. Deleting Data Doesn’t Mean It’s Gone
It isn’t simply enough to delete sensitive data from your server or computer and then dispose of it any way you like.
Because, unfortunately, “to delete” does not mean “to erase.”
The information you delete can still be reached by hackers unless it is secured away safely from them, and experienced and knowledgeable e-waste recycling centers will know how to do that.
Which leads to number 3.
3. Some Companies Dispose of Your E-Waste Poorly
Be sure to make certain that the company you use for e-waste recycling does a thorough and ethical job.
This means that they actually recycle and reuse the electronics your company sends to them and doesn’t just ship them off to another location.
They do so for many reasons, but one is to avoid having to deal with environmental and safety regulations by setting up shops in developing countries. In the process, recycling companies that do this expose residents in these countries to rather toxic materials.
And this also exposes sensitive information that you give them to more outside sources. Be sure the company you choose properly recycles the electronics you give them.
All Businesses Need Data Security
When your business is considering recycling its e-waste, the issues listed above should be duly noted.
Take the time to really think about the ramifications of poorly recycling electronic waste at your business.
If you’re in the Bay Area in San Francisco, California, no worries. I Got E-Waste has a pickup service and is the perfect place for your business to dispose of its electronics in a completely recyclable and reusable way.
