Facing the rising tide of electronic waste, today’s IT asset managers want proof that their retired technology assets have been disposed of correctly.
In 2019, the world generated a record 53.6 million tons of electronic waste—reflecting an increase of 21% in just five years. Tackling this growing challenge has become a top priority for leaders of technology companies, such as cloud providers and original equipment manufacturers, who find themselves under increasing pressure to modernize their corporate social responsibility policies.
The sustainable lifecycle management of electronic equipment, such as computing hardware from deployment to disposal presents unique challenges. Hazardous chemicals that are often found in electrical products, such as lead and cadmium, are harmful to the environment as well as health and safety. One recent study by the World Health Organization even found a connection between digital dumpsites and adverse health outcomes in children.
Information security is another challenge. Retired IT assets often contain sensitive information that has not been properly deleted, which leaves it vulnerable to cybercrime. Disposing of end-of-life data must be done with the utmost care not only with regard to data sensitivity but also for the sake of the environment. For example, degaussing a hard drive destroys all data on it, but it also makes it impossible to reuse. In contrast, secure data erasure according to the NIST 800-88 standard ensures that the data can never be recovered while also allowing for reuse of the drive.
TES provides end-to-end management throughout the entire sustainable technology lifecycle. Our Seattle-based facility recently earned its R2v3 certification, which demonstrates its commitment to sustainable IT asset disposal (ITAD). We already have almost double the amount of R2 certified sites than any other provider, with more to come. Here’s what that means for our clients:
What is the R2 certification?
The Responsible Recycling Standard (R2) certification is a globally recognized standard in the electronics industry. Maintained by certifying body Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), the standard is a set of voluntary operational practices based on independent audits. The Seattle facility of TES was one of the first facilities in the world to secure the recent third edition of the certification.
In this latest revision, the certification has been reorganized and appended to clarify the necessary steps to achieve positive outcomes. Although its core requirements remain largely unchanged, it places a stronger emphasis on data protection, which includes meeting the demands of prevailing laws on environmental health and safety and information security, many of which are interconnected.
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“The regulatory environment in the last five years, has probably had more movement than the
previous fifteen years before that, both in terms of global regulations, the Basel Convention,
regional regulations, GDPR, local in-country regulations…it’s all interconnected.”
Eric Ingebretsen, Chief Commercial Officer of TES
Why partner with an R2v3-certified ITAD company?
As customers and suppliers alike are becoming increasingly discerning of their business partners, ITAD has come to represent a vital part of corporate social responsibility. The R2v3 standard sets the highest standards, and adherence to those standards validates ITAD companies, such as TES, as trusted and responsible partners in the space. Here are the key reasons why you should consider partnering with an R2v3-certified ITAD provider:
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- To reduce risks to public health and the environment
- To align ITAD with local and international regulations
- To eliminate the risk of end-of-life data leaks
- To support safe and sustainable reuse of retired IT equipment
- To instill confidence across your supply chain and customer base
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The R2 standard requires facilities to maintain the proper documentation of process requirements, operational strategies, and data security measures. Workers at such facilities are also provided with regular trainings to ensure constant mindfulness of environmental, safety, and information security measures and policies. To become a certified company, requires an external certification audit to be passed by a SERI-approved certification body.
TES is your secure IT asset disposal partner. We are a frontrunner in securing the new R2v3 certification to demonstrate our commitment to the correct management of retired IT assets in accordance with the latest environmental, safety, and security standards. Get in touch to find out more.
