subject: Understanding Weee Disposal Regulations [print this page] As you have probably heard, the landfills have become an environmental concern over the past decades because of poisonous and toxic waste that might be slipping into them. WEEE disposal directives (Waste Electric and Electronic Equipment) were initiated because many appliances, such as refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners, contained hazardous gases, and your IT equipment or office equipment falls under these disposal guidelines too.
When waste electric and electronic equipment is not properly disposed of, the toxins and poisons contained in them could seep into the ground water tables and cause many grave consequences for the entire population.
While not everyone is aware that WEEE disposal includes these office items, there can be dire consequences when IT equipment disposal is not handled correctly and according to the guidelines. In addition, there are many businesses that store crucial data on their computer hard drives and they do not want to risk it falling into the wrong hands, so they end up storing it in the closet or storage room. However in the event of theft your confidential information could still be at risk, so proper data wiping, asset tracking and WEEE disposal or recycling of your IT equipment remains the best solution.
There are solutions for proper WEEE disposal of your IT and office equipment and many times, it can be recycled, refurbished and used by those less fortunate or by charities and schools.
There are several pieces of office equipment that might require proper WEEE disposal, including PCs, CRT monitors, TFT monitors, Faxes, Photocopiers, Printers and other office equipment that contains circuitry and electronics. Consider that the average PC contains more than 100 poisons, including Lead, Arsenic and Cadmium, but many people are not aware of this fact.
When you use an Environment Agency Licensed Waste Carrier, you will be in compliance with WEEE disposal, as they have been trained to deal with such waste safely while protecting the environment. However you will also want experts that are trained to completely erase any important data that might exist on your PCs.
If you choose the right company, you can opt to be issued with a certificate of destruction for your records, for your insurance records and for data protection, which lessens the chances of consequences at a later time.
Protecting the environment is everybody's responsibility and protecting your data is just as important to your business. When you have old computer and office equipment that needs to be disposed of, you need to be certain that the proper precautions are taken.
Waste can be lessened in landfills through data wiping and refurbishment of old computers that can get a second life, but the equipment that cannot be refurbished and re-used needs to be disposed of properly. For the best protection of your data, through data wiping or asset tracking and compliance with WEEE disposal guidelines, make sure you are dealing with experts in these particular areas.
