How do you dispose of

unwanted IT equipment?
A best practice guide to IT decommissioning by
UK charity Computer Aid International
About Computer Aid
Computer Aid International is a UK registered charity that works with companies across
the UK to provide them with a professional decommissioning service, which includes UK
military and CESG approved data wiping using Ontrack Eraser data wiping software, full
asset tracking, WEEE compliance and a UK wide collection service. All working PCs are
tested and refurbished at Computer Aids London workshop before being sent for reuse in
agriculture, health and education projects across Africa and Latin America.
Computer Aid is the worlds largest ICT for development charity. Since it was founded in
1998 Computer Aid has provided almost 200,000 PCs and laptops to those who need
them most in over 100 countries. Computer Aids IT donors include Sainsburys, Royal Mail,
British Airways, Buckingham Palace, Virgin Group and Sealed Air.
Research by Vanson Bourne
The statistics headlining each chapter are from independent research conducted by
Vanson Bourne in August 2011 for Computer Aid. Vanson Bourne questioned 100 senior IT
decision makers across the UK from a cross-section of UK companies with over 1,000
employees.
Vanson Bourne is a UK-based specialist technology market research company that delivers
robust, credible research insight to clients ranging from tech start-ups to well-known tech
brands.
Contents
Data Disposal 4
Avoiding Landfll 6
Complying with the WEEE Directive 8
Reuse Over Recycling 10
Corporate Responsibility and IT Disposal 12
Case Study of Reuse 14
UNISON
Introduction
There is an ever growing number of unwanted PCs being discarded on a yearly basis in the UK.
In fact, according to our recent research UK companies dispose of an average of 550 PCs per
year after less than 4 years of use, helping to bring the total number of unwanted PCs well into
the millions.
It is unsurprising that legislation regulating IT disposal is tightening and there is an increasing
need for companies to demonstrate best practice disposal procedures. Despite this, there is still
much confusion about what constitutes best practice IT disposal and how to ensure that it is
being followed across the entire company.
Computer Aid and the independent market research company Vanson Bourne recently
conducted research into IT disposal among senior IT decision makers in UK companies with
over 1,000 employees. The research established current practices and the key areas in need of
improvement and found that:
! 1 in 5 senior IT decision makers are unsure whether their companys unwanted PCs avoid
landfll
! 17% dont comply with, or dont know about, current e-waste regulations
! Only 14% of companies reuse their redundant working IT equipment; however amongst
those that dont, 83% said they want to do so
Companies need to signifcantly improve their disposal procedures as failing to do so can have
huge reputational as well as environmental costs. Moreover, companies are missing the
opportunity to seize the environmental and social benefts which sending their unwanted IT
for reuse can bring.
As the worlds largest IT reuse charity, Computer Aid has drafted this guide to help companies
understand and adopt best practice IT disposal procedures. We hope that this information will
help companies meet current regulatory requirements around e-waste and improve the
environmental and reputational impact of their IT disposal strategies.
We hope that you fnd this information useful and welcome your feedback and queries.
enquiries@computeraid.org www.computeraid.org
020 8361 5540 @Computer_Aid
65% state data security is the number one concern
when decommissioning IT equipment
Best practice data disposal:
"
The in-house security team or the IT disposal company must guarantee 100%
destruction of all data
"
The in-house security team or IT disposal company must provide a certifcate of data
destruction for all unwanted IT equipment
"
Data must be erased using CESG approved data wiping software
"
The IT disposal company must have public liability insurance that covers both the
data and hardware of all your equipment as soon as it enters their possession
"
Ask for and keep copies of all these documents for auditing purposes
Inadequate data disposal should be a thing of the past, especially since many
organisations will do all of the above for free.
It is naturally very important for Virgin that we have complete
reassurance that all information stored on our PCs is data wiped.
By wiping the hard disk to US military standards and removing all
sensitive data, Computer Aid gives us this peace of mind.
Virgin

UK companies are legally obliged to protect their data. But the data breaches
hitting the headlines on a regular basis clearly show that many companies are not
doing this properly. Unless hard drives are correctly wiped, unwanted PCs, laptops
and servers can provide a treasure-trove of data if they fall into the wrong hands.
Cost and convenience are often cited as reasons why data is not securely removed,
however neither should be an issue given that CESG approved data wiping is
provided free of charge by many reputable IT disposal organisations. Furthermore,
the reputational, legal and fnancial cost of not following best practice data wiping
on decommissioned PCs is untenable for the majority of companies.
Data Security
Image Copyright DanWatch
& Consumers International
1 in 5 senior IT decision makers in the
UK are not confdent that all of their
companys IT avoids landfll
How to avoid landfll:
"
Always use an approved disposal provider that is registered with the Environment
Agency
"
Audit your decommissioning provider and their subcontractors to make sure that
your equipment is handled correctly from when it leaves your premises to the fnal
point of recovery or disposal
"
Use an organisation which asset-tracks all IT equipment
"
Gain documentary evidence of the disposal route of your equipment where it was
sent to, which parts were reused and which were recycled
"
Source references from the disposal providers clients prior to signing the contract
We pass on our surplus equipment safe in the knowledge that
it will have a second life helping to reduce poverty. But there
is an added bonus in that these donations help us
to meet our environmental obligations as we know
their disposal will be carefully controlled.
Department for International Development

Dumping e-waste in landfll is illegal and it is deplorable that so many companies

cannot guarantee that their equipment avoids this fate.
PCs contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury and arsenic which need
proper treatment on disposal. However, 67% of e-waste collected in the EU is
unaccounted for and many thousands of companies ICT is currently being sent to
landfll, substandard treatment facilities or illegally exported.
By not being able to guarantee legal disposal procedures, IT managers expose their
company to huge reputational damage should their old IT be found in landfll or
illegally exported out of the EU without having gone through a thorough testing
and refurbishment process. Sending faulty and broken equipment (e-waste) to
countries outside of the EU is both illegal and has the potential to severely impact
human health and the environment due to the toxic chemicals within ICTs.
Avoiding Landfll
17% of senior IT decision makers do not know
about, or do not believe their company complies
with the WEEE Directive
Best practice WEEE compliance
"
Store waste equipment safely separate hazardous materials and store in suitable
containers such as a skip or drum. Clearly label containers and cover equipment from
rain which could prevent reuse
"
Use a registered waste carrier that it is authorised to receive WEEE
"
Choose a waste disposal organisation that follows the waste hierarchy and will reuse
your working equipment and recycle the non-working equipment
"
Ensure that all your waste goes to an authorised site. All waste must be treated by an
Approved Authorised Treatment Facility (AATF) or an Authorised Treatment Facility
ATF - both can be checked on the Environment Agency website
"
Ask for copy of the organisations Environment Agency registration and keep it for
your records
"
Ensure every item of e-waste that leaves your premises is covered by a Waste Transfer
Note (WTN)
"
Keep all WTNs for a minimum of 2 years and ensure you are able to produce them on
demand for the Environment Agency or your Local Authority or you may be fned
and/or prosecuted.
"
Regularly check authorisation documents as they may change or expire
Computer Aid made donating these PCs extremely
straightforward by assuming full legal liability for the
equipment we sent and providing documentation to
prove our compliance with electrical waste and
payment card industry regulations.
Sainsburys

The WEEEDirective aims to reduce the amount of electrical and electronic

equipment being produced and to encourage its reuse, recycling and recovery. All
companies have a legal responsibility to ensure they produce, store, transport and
dispose of electronic equipment without harming the environment. However, not
all companies are compliant and as the regulation becomes increasingly stringent
for example a reuse target may soon be included - companies need to implement
procedures to ensure full compliance.
Meeting e-waste regulation: The WEEE Directive
Only 14% of companies reuse all their working IT
83% would reuse all working equipment if factors
such as data protection and cost were addressed
Best practice in reuse
"
Source responsible IT disposal companies that prioritise reuse and will test your
equipment to ensure its safe and ft for purpose
"
Ensure the organisation is compliant with all the relevant legislation as detailed
above
"
Ensure that the organisation guarantees and can prove best practice data disposal
"
Use an organisation which asset-tracks all equipment so you have a record of exactly
where the equipment has been sent to and, if it has been sent for reuse, where and
how it is being used
Orange has been happy to support the work of Computer Aid as
it's a great opportunity to contribute to fantastic causes whilst
reusing our old computer equipment. We felt Computer Aid was
a good ft with our sustainability agenda, as well as keeping the IT
guys happy with their rigorous standards of data erasure. We
hope to do lots more exciting stuf together in the future.
Orange

80% of a PCs total energy use occurs during manufacture. Moreover,

manufacturing just one PC uses 240kg of fossil fuels, 22kg of chemicals and 1,500
liters of water.
This is a huge amount of energy and resources, especially given that most
companies dispose of their PCs after less than 4 years of use which is less than
half their actual lifespan. Despite this, the vast majority of companies do not send
their working IT for reuse.
There are strong legal, fnancial, social and environmental benefts to reusing
computers, not to mention the role reuse plays in corporate responsibility
initiatives. By reusing PCs, you can:
! Comply with WEEE regulations: Point 24 in the WEEE Directive states the
need to prioritise the reuse of whole appliances.
! Reduce your companys carbon footprint: reusing a PC is 20 times more
energy efcient than recycling and doing so will signifcantly reduce a
companys carbon footprint.
! Help others access IT: there are many organisations that provide refurbished
PCs to the millions of people who are unable to aford new ICT. By ensuring
computers are sent for reuse, companies can make a huge diference to
achieving economic and social development goals.
Reuse
92% of IT departments play a role in corporate responsibility
Of these, 45% dont have social targets
Social benefts of best practice
IT disposal through reuse
Just one unwanted PC that is sent for reuse can:
"
Provide 6,000 hours of use, enough to train 60 children to a vocational level of IT
literacy
"
Connect doctors in rural health centres with specialists in the city and facilitate life
saving advice and training to rural doctors and nurses
"
Help farmers gain access to weather forecasts so that they can produce bigger crop
yields
Were very proud to be involved with Computer Aid, who have
provided Royal Mail Group with the opportunity to help young
people in less fortunate circumstances. Its a great feeling to
know that school children around the world now have the
chance to learn computer skills on our redundant PCs enabling
them to work towards a brighter future.
Not only do we feel were giving the equipment to a worthwhile
cause, were being more environmentally friendly which is
important to us as a business. Full marks to Computer Aid for
helping organisations like Royal Mail to do the right thing and in
doing so, help improve the lives of others.
Royal Mail Group

The IT department can make a signifcant contribution to carbon reduction targets,

but it can also play a critical role in the social aspect of corporate responsibility by
sending unwanted IT for reuse.
Donating unwanted IT to a charity such as Computer Aid means that it can be used
by those who need it most in some of the worlds poorest countries. Donated PCs
help whole communities improve their education, their healthcare facilities as well
as their access to information and new economic markets.
How your unwanted PCs can help
Ethiopia is one of the most economically deprived countries in the world. However,
because companies in the UK have donated their unwanted PCs to Computer Aid,
pupils at schools such as this one are able to learn the necessary skills to take part
in an increasingly digital world and, in doing so, help lift themselves and their
community out of poverty.
IT literacy is essential to reducing poverty in developing countries since it provides
people with the tools they need to enter higher education and better paid employment.
However PCs are very expensive and few people or schools can aford them. For example,
in 2006, Ethiopia had just 0.55 computers per 100 people and the vast majority of
children leave school without ever touching a PC or laptop.
Instead of recycling PCs, companies should seize the opportunity to send their
computers for reuse in developing countries and make a real diference to global poverty
reduction initiatives.
By donating PCs for reuse companies can enable children who would otherwise not have
access to IT to grow up computer-literate. This will enable them to improve their life
prospects and, in doing so, help to lift whole communities out of poverty.
Please get in touch if you would like any further information or if you have any IT
equipment to dispose of.
Just one computer donated to Computer Aid can help to train 60 children to a
vocational level of IT literacy so just think what hundreds of PCs could do!
When our children leave school and apply for a job, the very frst
question that they are asked is are they computer literate
Roma Girls School, Zambia

Giving children in developing

countries access to IT
enquiries@computeraid.org
www.computeraid.org
020 8361 5540
@Computer_Aid
Registered Charity: 1069256
Registered Company: 3442679
10 Brunswick Industrial Park
Brunswick Way
London N11 1JL
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