Saturday, 14th October 2023, is International E-Waste Day. This aims to raise awareness about the growing issue of electronic waste and promote responsible disposal and recycling practices.
In Ireland, over 25 million electronic devices are left in storage cupboards and drawers or thrown in bins, where they end up in the rubbish dump. A study from the United Nations has revealed that last year, Irish businesses and households contributed 11 million kilos of electronic waste. This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for proper disposal and recycling methods to prevent further damage to the environment.
What is e-waste?
E-waste refers to discarded electrical or electronic devices, such as hard drives, RAM, computers, mobile phones, USB memory sticks, laptops, and tablets, as well as monitors, digital cameras, photocopiers, and printers. Additionally, e-waste can include several accessories, such as cables, cords, and adapters.
Can’t I just recycle them?
The short answer is “no.”, The disposal of e-waste waste is not as clean-cut as just throwing it into the recycling bin. Careful consideration needs to be taken as to what has been thrown out. Some accessories may contain hazardous materials that require special handling, for example, anything with a built-in battery or items like fridges that contain gases that are bad for the environment.
Another reason for taking care when disposing of e-waste is the risk of data breaches, which can lead to fraud and identity theft. Proper disposal of e-waste helps mitigate these risks and ensures the protection of personal information.
Hard drive and media destruction is the best and safest method of achieving peace of mind that the information is irretrievable & preventing data breaches in your organisation. Our Secure Destruction Processes are fully GDPR compliant.
Did you know…?
Most people are aware that items such as laptops and computers have hard drives, which could potentially have sensitive information stored on them. But, a lot of people don’t realise that other everyday items could also contain sensitive information. For example, smartphones, tablets, and even smart appliances. The following are some more examples of these items:
International E-Waste Day – Hard Drive & IT Media Destruction
How can DGD Shredding help?
DGD Shredding specialises in the secure destruction of hard drives and IT devices that could contain confidential sensitive information. With over 25 years experience we ensure all data is destroyed to the highest industry standard. Certificates of destruction are issued for all data shred. With a strong chain of custody procedures are carried out in accordance with EN15713 secure destruction of confidential data code of practice.
DGD Shredding offers flexible solutions for hard drive & IT Media destruction. Contact our sales team today on 1800 491 333 or sales@dgdshredding.ie to discuss your secure destruction needs. Our fully trained representatives will talk you through the different options we offer to come up with a suitable solution.
Our services include On-Site* and Off-Site Secure Destruction for Hard Drives and IT Media Destruction. These services can be a Regular Scheduled Service, On-Demand, or even a Bulk Clean Out.
We believe we offer the best value on the market and our cost-effective solutions do not compromise on compliance.
“We make it our business to make sure no one knows yours!”
*On-Site offered for Hard Drive Shredding only. All other IT Media destruction is undertaken at the Off-Site at our Destruction facility in Raheen Business Park, Limerick.
