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Home > Blog > How to Safely and Securely Dispose of Old Laptops
April 18th, 2023

How to Safely and Securely Dispose of Old Laptops

how to safely dispose laptops in US

Getting rid of old laptops can certainly be a challenge for consumers in the United States, and even more so for businesses that continually dispose of dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of old laptops every year.

Old laptops are considered to be electronic waste (e-waste) and cannot be disposed of along with household trash and garbage and many states (25 as of 2023) have imposed bans on improper disposal of e-waste, which further stresses the need for safe and secure laptop disposal.

Improper Disposal of Old Laptops

Data from the EPA shows that over 2.7 million tons of e-waste were generated in the United States in 2018 (latest recorded year). In all likelihood, the amount of e-waste has risen sharply since then, with some estimates from 2020 as high as 54 million tons. It’s also important to consider that an estimated 40-50% of e-waste is exported internationally. While this data does aggregate all consumer electronics, laptops certainly contribute to the rise in e-waste in the United States.

Improper laptop disposal poses all sorts of threats to the environment, since they tend to contain all sorts of rare earth minerals such as cadmium, lead and mercury which leach into ground soils and pollute the environment. 

Organizations Disposing of Old Business Laptops Improperly

Most laptop disposal in the United States comes from offices and businesses with large quantities of IT assets (including laptops) constantly being rotated into and out of service. Organizations, therefore, have many incentives to seek environmentally friendly methods of disposal for old laptops and other IT assets, including sustainability but also encompassing many other reasons as well.

Importance of Safe & Secure Disposal of Old Laptops

Why is it so important for organizations to safely and securely dispose of old laptops in the United States? Below are a few reasons: 

  • Prevention of sensitive data falling into the wrong hands 
  • Environmental protection via e-waste reduction 
  • Compliance with data disposal laws in various states and international jurisdictions 
  • Reduction of risk from data breaches. 

A Step-by-Step Guide to Properly Dispose of Old Laptops

Organizations that need to dispose of laptops can follow a few simple steps:

  • Backup any sensitive data to an external hard drive or to the cloud 
  • Perform a thorough wipe of all sensitive information and login credentials, passwords, personal files, etc. 
  • Uninstall any unneeded applications or software 
  • Disconnect the hard drive from the laptop and schedule the hard drive for disposal 
  • Choose a trustworthy ITAD company to assist with data destruction and environmentally friendly hard drive disposal

Wisetek

As a leader in IT Asset Disposition, Wisetek is your number one choice for secure laptop disposal in the United States and internationally. Our vast range of professional ITAD services help organizations remain compliant with secure and environmentally friendly data destruction and disposal, including refurbishment, remarketing, and recycling.

ITAD Services at Wisetek

Wisetek provides many secure ITAD services that help organizations protect sensitive data while remaining compliant with data disposal laws and seeking landfill diversion thanks to our Zero-Landfill Policy.

Other Services at Wisetek

In addition to laptop disposal, Wisetek also provides many value-added services for clients in the United States such as reverse logistics, secure data destruction, hard drive disposal and much more.

Steps & Processes Involved in Safe Laptop Disposal by Wisetek

Wisetek helps organizations dispose of old laptops and many other IT assets using the following processes: 

  • Collection: let us come to you and perform on-premises data destruction or have them destroyed at one of our many offices in the United States; 
  • Audit: every IT asset will be individually assessed and subsequently scheduled for either refurbishment and remarketing or recycling; 
  • Data Destruction: our NSA-grade data destruction equipment will process each and every IT asset, securely destroying any sensitive data held on the device; 
  • IT Asset Recovery: IT assets scheduled for refurbishment can be remarketed through our network of global resellers; 
  • E-waste Recycling: IT assets that cannot be refurbished will be recycled in accordance with our environmental policy and our commitment to a Sustainable Earth.

Why Choose Wisetek to Safely Dispose of Old Business Laptops?

For professional laptop disposal in the United States, look no further than Wisetek. The benefits of choosing us for ITAD include:

  • Full legal compliance with data disposal laws in the United States; 
  • Complete, secure and thorough data destruction according to the highest industry standards; 
  • Best possible ROI on any redundant IT assets; 
  • Improved CSR and sustainability thanks to our Zero-Landfill Policy. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do with an old laptop?

Old laptops owned by businesses can be refurbished and remarketed by an ITAD company such as Wisetek or recycled if unusable. 

How can I dispose of an old laptop?

To dispose of an old laptop in the United States, it is best to leave the task to a certified e-waste recycler or an ITAD company such as Wisetek.

How can I safely dispose of a business laptop?

Business laptops can be safely disposed of by first destroying any sensitive data held on the hard drive. Professional ITAD companies like Wisetek specialize in secure data destruction. 

How can I recycle an old laptop?

To recycle an old laptop, it is best to either contact an ITAD provider or a certified e-waste recycler

Where can I dispose of a used business laptop?

Used business laptops in the United States can be disposed of either by a reputable ITAD company or via a certified e-waste recycler. 

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