IT Asset Disposal
IT Asset Disposal is an industry term and practice built around reusing, recycling, repurposing, repairing or disposing of unwanted IT equipment in a safe and environmentally responsible way. An IT organization can practice IT asset disposition itself or have a specialized vendor handle it.
Instead of ending up as electronic waste, or e-waste, in a landfill, an IT device's internal components can be reused. This helps keep waste such as plastics and heavy metals out of the environment.
Although many businesses have a systematic replacement cycle for electronic equipment, enterprises with worn-out hardware must decide whether to refurbish, resell, recycle or dispose of their business equipment. When done internally, parts of the IT asset disposition process are often handled by IT asset management, procurement or risk management teams. An organization can also work with external businesses that focus specifically on ITAD. These companies typically provide the secure destruction of data and environmentally friendly e-waste recycling. ITAD vendors specialize in the process of streamlining the disposition of IT assets for their clients, while minimizing costs and potentially reclaiming equipment value.
Why is IT Asset Disposal important?
Organizations quickly cycle through IT, making IT asset disposal a larger and more urgent issue when considering e-waste. These devices may contain heavy metals, chemicals and other materials that could be harmful to the environment when disposed of in a landfill. These materials could leak into the ground and affect water sources, for example. To ensure the proper and secure disposal of e-waste, ITAD providers use certified recyclers.
What does IT Asset Disposal do?
- Securing data
- Recycling and reusing devices
- Repairing hardware