If you need to destroy some hard drives when you upgrade your company's computers, then data destruction is your primary goal. Computer programs don't necessarily wipe all data from drives; sometimes, people with the right skills and equipment can recover even a wiped drive.
So, you may be leaning towards hiring a data destruction company to completely destroy the drives. Some companies also offer recycling as part of this service. Why is this a good idea?
Get Complete Data Destruction
If a data destruction company recycles or repurpose parts of hard drives, then they have to take the drives apart. Rather than destroying and disposing of the whole drive, they harvest useful and usable parts. So, the company will dismantle each drive individually. They sort and ring-fence the parts of the drive that contain data. These parts are then completely destroyed. Usually, this involves a physical shredding process. You get the peace of mind of knowing that your data is gone and is in no way recoverable.
Get Recycling Benefits
Some companies destroy hard drives in their entirety. They shred the whole thing. While this works from a data destruction perspective, it prevents you from making use of those parts of the drive that don't hold data. For example, hard drives contain useful materials like metals and magnets. If you remove these materials, they can be recycled or repurposed. Circuit boards and plastic components are also sometimes reusable in different forms. If you recycle your drives during the data destruction process, then you make use of materials that don't need to be thrown away. This is good for your company's green credentials and the planet as a whole.
Avoid Environmental Damage
If every single part of your hard drive is thrown away after destruction, then you add to environmental problems. Even if your drives are crushed into pieces, some of these pieces can be harmful. For example, plastics may not degrade and could sit in a landfill for years if you don't take steps to deal with them more effectively. Plus, the drive safely contains any chemicals or toxic substances inside its casing during its working life. However, once you take it apart, these substances are out in the open. If your data destruction company recycles as a matter of course, they can also deal with harmful materials. If they can't reuse something, they can dispose of it safely.
For more information on the benefits of recycling hard drive parts, talk to local data destruction specialists.
There is a running joke in my family that if you want to break the computer, then just let my mother use it. Unfortunately, the older generation did not grow up exposed to computers, which means they find technology quite confusing. My blog is all about simplifying the use of technology so that the older generation can enjoy it. From starting a computer to posting on social media using a tablet, I want to share tips which simplify the use of these gadgets. Technology is something that we all take for granted, so I hope that my posts will encourage new users to embrace these devices too.