Data Sanitization
Data Sanitization and Secure IT Equipment Recycling
PC Recyclers of Idaho follows industry standards for sanitizing equipment that contains data and personal information.
We start by using software that erases data using the NIST 800-88 standard from all hard drives and SSDs commonly found in computing equipment. This standard utilizes a 3-pass wiping procedure to ensure the complete removal of data. This provides peace of mind knowing that all information has been removed, including:
HIPAA information
Passwords
SSNs
Banking information
Personal Information
Photos
Videos
Other sensitive information
What happens afterwards?
For physical destruction, we use an Ameri-Shred commercial shredder to destroy data containing media. This includes the complete shredding of hard drives, SSDs, backup tapes, and DVDs. We follow the Sustainable Electronics Recycling International’s (SERI) R2v3 global standard for recycling and reusing electronics by ensuring your disposed electronics do not end up in the landfill.
Shredding is the route for anything that cannot be reliably wiped — a drive that has failed, will not respond, or came out of a system you would rather not see resold. Once media is shredded, the material goes to certified downstream recyclers for metal recovery.
Two ways we destroy data
Which one your equipment takes depends on the condition of the drive and on what you want back at the end.
Wiping
Software erases the drive to the NIST 800-88 standard with a 3-pass procedure. The drive survives the process, so a working machine can be refurbished and reused rather than scrapped — better for the environment, and it is what makes reimbursement possible on newer equipment.
Physical destruction
The drive goes through our Ameri-Shred shredder and comes out as scrap. Nothing is recoverable. This is the route for failed drives, and for customers whose policy requires destruction rather than erasure.
Certificates of destruction
Either way, ask us and we will provide a certificate of destruction for your records, your auditors or your own compliance file.
Chain of custody
Your equipment stays with us. We collect it in our own trucks, and it is processed at our own facility in Meridian rather than being handed off to a broker or shipped overseas. That is the part of the process most customers are actually asking about when they ask whether their data is safe: the fewer organizations that touch a drive, the fewer places it can go missing.
Our certifications are audited by independent registrars rather than self-declared. We hold R2v3 certification through SERI and RIOS certification, we are a member of ISRI, and our audits are carried out by Perry Johnson Registrars under ANAB accreditation. R2v3 also requires due diligence on the downstream vendors who take material from us, so the chain does not end at our gate.
Not sure which parts of your equipment hold data? Our items we accept page lists what we take, and our asset management service covers the whole disposal process from collection to final recycling.
We are fully committed to ensuring your most sensitive equipment remains secure throughout the entire data sanitizing and recycling process.
We will pick up your recyclables for free
Let us do the heavy lifting! We offer free pickups for businesses looking to dispose of electronic equipment and IT assets. Schedule a free pickup for your business today!
Contact Us
PC Recyclers of Idaho
Address:1260 East Watertower Street
Meridian, Idaho 83642, United States
Phone:(208) 658-1100