Equipment disposition isn’t what it used to be. There’s no throwing computers and monitors in a dumpster and thinking all is well. Today, the effects of disposing of equipment in the wrong way can be hazardous to your business due to stringent environmental regulations and customer/client confidentiality laws.

At CDI, we do dispositions right - in compliance with local, state and federal environmental directives, in accordance with HIPPA/PIPEDA regulations for data security, and in a manner that provides the maximum financial benefit to you. Just as important, we provide a total solution—from packing and shipping to recycling and disposal—and complete accountability.

Computer equipment contains moderate levels of hazardous chemicals for which disposal is strictly controlled by the EPA and Canada’s Ministry of the Environment. For example, CRT monitors often contain four pounds or more of lead, and printed circuit boards contain a number of chemicals (beryllium, cadmium, etc.) and flame-retardants that pollute air and water sources when shredded, burned or dumped in a landfill. That’s why there has been a surge in local, state and federal regulations controlling the disposal of “e-waste” and the imposition of heavy fines against companies that fail to use due diligence in ensuring that their equipment is disposed of properly. Unfortunately, not everyone who provides dispositions does so in complete accordance with the law. You should be aware that low bids on disposition services often signal that companies are working with brokers who send equipment to developing countries or illegal waste dumps. To avoid such potentially legal and/or PR nightmares, you must use due diligence and create an audit trail to ensure that your computers are disposed of properly.

At CDI, we adhere to strict internal controls to ensure that our dispositions are performed in complete compliance with all current local, state and federal standards. Equipment that comes to us is divided into re-marketable and non-saleable materials. The non-saleable plastics and metals are recycled through recycling facilities approved by the US, EPA and Canada’s Ministry of the Environment.

Today’s consumer data privacy laws mandate strict assurances that the information that many companies collect and maintain from customers and clients remain confidential in perpetuity. For example, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) and Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) set civil and/or criminal penalties for exposing an individual’s financial information or medical records. But while many companies operate in strict compliance with these regulations on a daily basis, they may risk violation when it comes time to dispose of old computer equipment. That’s because even when the hard drives on your computers, servers and storage equipment become non-operational, they still retain information on the disc platter that can potentially be accessed.

At CDI, we employ today’s most sophisticated methods for erasing and sanitizing hard drives to ensure that all data is permanently removed and completely unrecoverable. We utilize the Eliminator 4000FS to erase metal particle tape to -80dB (like new) and degauss hard drives before disposing of or transferring them out of our secured environment. The process of degaussing erases not just the data and formatting, but the factory installed magnetic servo tracks located on the hard disc platters as well, making the hard drive unusable.

In order to maximize the value of your technology assets, it is imperative that you make wise decisions at the end of your equipment’s lifecycle. Knowing precisely when to dispose of your equipment is the key. In an ideal scenario you will dispose of your assets while their value on the secondary market is significant even though their value to your organization is waning, giving you the greatest options and potential return on underutilized, idle or obsolete equipment.

As one of the most active buyers and sellers on the secondary market, CDI can help you make the right decisions and reap the greatest benefits in terms of disposition timing and return. Our ongoing monitoring of secondary IT market channels allows us to advise you as to the best time to remove equipment. With the volume of used and refurbished equipment that we purchase and sell, we influence both the supply and demand of products. That means that we are astutely aware of any value your equipment may have retained and you can be sure that if we offer to purchase your used equipment, you will receive the fair market price.

With CDI’s 50,000 square feet of warehouse space and world-class testing and auditing facility, we are prepared to accept a wide array of used equipment including PCs, notebooks, monitors, telephony and enterprise level equipment.

We offer on-site testing and auditing services for clients with a minimum of 150 units per facility, including pallet packing and removal of the equipment. With on-site testing and auditing, you can take advantage of manufacturers’ warranties if defects or non-conformances are discovered. On-site disposition is available for smaller orders for an additional fee, and we will arrange transportation to our testing and auditing facility for disposition services not performed on-site. In every case, repairs are conducted by certified technicians with in-depth knowledge of diverse manufactures and models.

Utilizing current diagnostic tools, our certified technicians process every piece of equipment we receive into our test and audit system. Our state-of-the-art RF-based application eliminates the need to manually capture data and drastically reduces error rates common in smaller operations. Each unit goes through a detailed test and audit process for cosmetic and mechanical functionality utilizing pre-defined processes. Certified technicians inspect each unit, capturing serial numbers and configuration details along with any non-conformances. All cosmetic defects are digitally photographed in a JPEG format and filed on a dedicated server. Clients are provided with a comprehensive report identifying asset type, manufacturer, serial number, asset description and configuration details and defects. As part of this process, we also produce a certificate of data destruction.

With the serious legal, environmental and financial issues involved in equipment disposition, you can’t afford to take chances. For dispositions done right you can count on CDI.