A Notice from CJD E-Cycling: Our Response to Coronavirus

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The Edwardsville location is operating under normal business hours, while the East Alton location is by appointment only.

COVID-19 Safety Protocol

In light of precautions being taken to protect all customers from COVID-19, steps are being taken to minimize contact with site staff. Staff will wear masks and gloves, and will regularly sanitize their hands and the things they use for transactions, using products from the US EPA list.

Safety rules for Customers

In order to assure the health and safety of all, customers shall follow the below required guidelines. Workers may refuse service if a customer fails to comply with the below rules.

  • Materials to be recycled must be in the hatchback area or trunk of the vehicle. Items placed in passenger seats or back seats can be refused.
  • Customers must wear a mask to exit their vehicles to help unload if necessary. Otherwise remain in the vehicle and our workers will unload for you.
  • Customers will unlock/open the trunk from inside the vehicle to allow workers to unload.
  • Customers must wear a mask. If you have to communicate with site workers or make a payment, you must have your mask on.
  • All small loose electronics, cables, cords, remotes, etc. should be bagged or boxed.
  • Please be patient with our staff, as the recycling process may be moving a bit slower than normal in order to assure an appropriate spacing between everyone and correct precautions are being followed.
  • If customers are not comfortable allowing our workers to unload their recyclable materials from their car (the trunk or hatchback area) and/or comfortable wearing a mask then please do not come to our facility.
  • Customers under quarantine or isolation protocol are not allowed to come to our facility. If you have had COVID-19 in your household, you must be symptom-free for at least two weeks before delivering your electronics to a recycling drop-off or event. In addition, do not come if you are experiencing the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, sore throat, headache, rigors, myalgia, loss of taste, loss of smell, or have been exposed to someone that has tested positive for COVID-19.

Please contact us with any questions about these guidelines.

Why It’s Important to Recycle Computer Parts Properly

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e-cycling

In this day and age, computers are a part of nearly everyone’s everyday lives. From gaming PCs and video game consoles to cell phones, TVs, and stereos, nearly everyone has multiple pieces of technology in their homes for vastly different purposes.

One of the downsides of owning such a large amount of technology is its tendency to become outdated very quickly. Even if you are not one to continually upgrade your computer parts or switch over to new audio equipment, you may go through your fair share of electronics in your lifetime.

What’s more, when you are done with old electronics and have upgraded to new ones, these early computers will likely just take up room in your home. Instead of hanging on to old pieces of technology that no longer have any use, bringing your electronics in for recycling is quick and straightforward, giving you the peace of mind of having done something better for both yourself as well as the planet.

There are a wide variety of reasons to properly recycle these types of technology. From reducing your footprint to ridding yourself of these items safely, computer recycling companies provide a highly necessary service in this age of technology. CJD E-cycling makes it easy to recycle your technology and help the environment. Reach out today, help the environment, and minimize your carbon footprint.

How Does E-Waste Hurt Us?

Electronic waste, or e-waste, is quickly becoming a national problem. Studies show that statistically, only 20% of electronics are recycled compared to the 80% that ends up in landfills.

This landfill dump can have lasting adverse effects on the planet, contributing to the presence of more hazardous waste, toxic materials, and effectively tossing raw materials that are still necessary for creating new technologies.

Throwing away electronics rather than retooling them contributes to the need to continually farm for more raw materials rather than simply reusing the materials already incorporated into this old technology.

When something is as convenient and straightforward as choosing to recycle computer parts, it seems the negatives of not doing so far outweigh the convenience of contributing to landfills.

Good for the Planet

This is one of the most apparent reasons to recycle computer parts, but it bears discussion. The fewer computers and electronics that are thrown into landfills, the less careless waste is created.

Due to the rapidly growing world of tech, already worrisome landfills would grow exponentially if they were made to hold the old electronics of the world’s population. These intricately involved machines contain a multitude of parts that will not break down for years to come.

This waste is some of the most easily avoided, provided consumers take just a few easy steps and choose to recycle computer parts rather than throw them away in the garbage.

There simply is no reason to throw these electronics away when they can be reused rather than sit in a landfill. However, there is another, more pressing reason to recycle computer parts rather than throw them into a landfill.

Properly Dispose of Hazardous Materials

Computers utilize a variety of materials that are not hazardous when properly utilized. However, throwing these materials into landfills contributes to a global humanitarian disaster.

In fact, computer recycling works to avoid what is defined as the single most hazardous material dump on the planet. Materials found in computers that are dumped into a landfill can easily infiltrate the soil and cause permanent damage to the earth.

Computers contain materials such as lithium, lead, and mercury – all extremely toxic, mainly when improperly disposed of with many other electronics. When improperly disposed of, this hazardous waste has the potential to harm our ecosystem significantly.

One of the leading causes of air pollution and extremely damaging to human health, e-cycling can actually provide a vital service in terms of helping to save the planet.

Instead, companies that recycle electronics can easily identify parts of your electronics that contain hazardous materials. At times, these parts may simply be reused in order to create another piece of technology, completely negating the need to dispose of these materials.

In other instances, when these parts cannot be salvaged, computer recyclers will work to ensure the materials are properly disposed of without causing harm to the environment.

Parts Can Be Reused

While your old box television was once thought of as a technological marvel, it is considered relatively useless today. However easy it is to forget that complex systems are incorporated into even the simplest of technology, it is essential to remember when it comes to e-cycling.

Many parts of even the most basic of computers can be reused or retooled into more effective versions of themselves, such as graphics and sound cards, DVD and CD drives, hard disks, and more.

These parts are more or less valuable to computer refurbishers who would gladly take them off your hands rather than see them end up in landfills.

Instead of letting old cell phones and boxy televisions pile up in a landfill somewhere, these parts can actually easily be used to create other electronics. As with plastic water bottles that can be reused, so too can even the crudest electronic systems.

E-Cycling Has a Great Effect on the Economy

Although your technology may be outdated now, it is likely that it cost you a fair chunk of change when you first purchased it. Oftentimes, computer recycling services will work to get your technology parts somewhere that they can be reused.

When utilized for refurbished electronics, the resulting product is a less expensive yet equally as effective version of said product.

This allows the market to be flooded with more affordable technology, such as refurbished game systems or televisions that sometimes cost hundreds of dollars less than their original counterparts.

In turn, this keeps the overall cost of electronics down. For example, when a refurbished game system costs roughly $100 less than the original model, it effectively drives the price of the original console down as more and more consumers choose to buy the just as effective and warranty protected refurbished system.

Computer Recycling Supports Your Community

Even better, these products may often be utilized to provide schools and educational programs with more affordable pieces of technology in order to streamline their learning processes.

The e-cycling process also helps provide cost-effective cell phones to low-income families, helping those who would not have otherwise been able to access cutting edge technology stay up to date with current technology.

In fact, not having at least a baseline, or a rudimentary form of technology can severely restrict someone in today’s society. With everything slowly becoming more and more digitized, someone without a cell phone or computer may find themselves unable to track local transportation, make doctor’s appointments, or provide contact information to potential employers.

E-cycling helps to make the technology necessary to live a fulfilled life in the 21st century accessible to everyone, and is of virtually no cost to the person doing the recycling.

E-Cycling Creates Local Jobs

When making the decision to recycle computer parts, you may not immediately think of this economic benefit. However, the larger the market is for e-cycling in your area, the higher the likelihood is that firms will look to employ more help to continue recycling.

With the vast amount of computer waste produced, large-scale operations will likely need a large number of employees.

Even if you may not think this has a direct impact on you, everyone benefits from increased economic stability, especially in their immediate area.

Free Up Some Space in Your Home

Most people have boxes and bags of outdated technology that they have been too afraid to get rid of. Without knowing how to dispose of the technology properly, or reluctance to part with an expertly curated collection of outdated cords, this technology often sits around in our homes.

Not only does this take up valuable storage space in your home, but it is also likely that these pieces of technology are taking up some valuable mental real estate.

As minimalist figureheads such as Marie Kondo have espoused, our mess and our clutter truly do impact our mental state. When you have a clutter of cords or old displays that you are not using, they’re taking up more room than necessary.

What’s more, it is likely that over time, you’ll be moving these pieces of technology from home to home without reason. In fact, likely, you will never touch most of your old technology ever again, especially when you have upgraded to new computers, televisions, and game systems.

While it is unlikely you will fetch a substantial monetary value by selling these electronics, choosing to recycle them will, in some cases, provide you with a tax break instead, giving you a financial incentive to do something good for both the economy and the planet.

Instead, computer recycling can be a great way to free yourself from the weight of too many clunky items weighing you down both physically and mentally.

It Might be Illegal Not To

In fact, in some cities such as New York, the chances are high that you’re either sitting on old technology taking up space or attempting to dump it illegally. While dumping your electronics in landfills isn’t illegal by federal law, over 26 states have effectively mandated electronics recycling.

Understanding the reasoning behind e-cycling, New York City has effectively banned the dumping of computer parts into the regular garbage. Those caught dumping their old technology into the trash are likely to face hefty fines and a guilty conscience.

Instead, making a move to recycle computer parts can give you the peace of mind that you are doing something good for the planet while avoiding possibly incriminating yourself.

Reduces Production of Raw Materials

When computers and electronic parts are reused, as they are almost constantly needed for a large variety of products, they help to save the planet in more ways than one. Because fewer new materials have to be created when they are reused, they help to conserve natural resources.

Statistically, the fewer raw materials that need to be farmed in order to create electronic resources, the less of a need there is to continually mine for raw materials.

Even when these products are not being recycled into new computers and new electronics, they can be used to create other important products. For example, the glass from computer monitors can be recycled into nearly any glass product, as can the plastic from televisions.

Companies that Recycle Computer Parts Do More Than Just Recycle

While these companies work to recycle computer parts as effectively as possible, naturally, not every component of your electronics is recyclable. However, these parts should still not end up in landfills somewhere as they remain detrimental to the environment, especially if they cannot break down.

Instead, companies that recycle computer parts know precisely how to dispose of these materials safely. By first separating these parts properly, these companies make sure to dispose of them accordingly.

For example, hazardous materials are passed off to companies that specialize in safely disposing of these chemicals. Other parts that cannot be recycled as-is are shredded down into smaller pieces and separated by material.

From there, they can either be used to recreate newer versions of their previous selves or be used in entirely new components altogether.

Either way, e-cycling companies know of the best way to dispose of even the materials that will not be recycled, rather than letting them pile up and do permanent harm to the planet.

Recycle Your Computer Parts With A Company That Cares

Not all computer recycling companies are created equally. Some only care about stripping useful materials from used electronics and selling them at a high price.

Instead, you’ll want to be sure you are bringing your old computers and electronics to a company that truly cares about their mission.

CJD E-Cycling is dedicated not only to the mission of recycling used electronics but to reducing waste and giving new life to otherwise used-up electronics. Give your old electronics and new life and make a profound impact on sustainability by properly recycling your old computer parts today.

Tips for Proper Data Destruction in 2020

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We live in an information age where the root of information can create an unprecedented amount of digital data. This deluge is not even close to seeing its end.

The International Data Corporation released a report showing that the digital universe is expanding at a rate of 40% every year. A large amount of the created data is generated and stored by companies through decommissioning data centers. IDC further states that companies’ consumers and employees create two-thirds of the data points.

Data can guide a business to optimum production and efficiency. It helps a firm fine-tune its daily operations, offer better services to its customers, and forecast business trends. But data also brings with it a great deal of responsibility. A company must consistently manage its data and destroy it properly to safeguard the privacy of its customers and employees.

Regulatory bodies have also tightened their compliance policies for corporations and decommissioning data centers, while legal fees and fines related to data breach non-compliance vary widely. Companies that are charged with data misuse as per the regulations should, therefore, be prepared to pay much more in courts. It is now, more than ever, critical to destroying data properly. CJD E-Cycling makes this easier than ever and will take care of everything for your organization.

decommissioning data centers

Data Destruction
The act of destroying data is pretty straightforward. It is basically the process by which information is destroyed. Whether it is in digital form or paper, data destruction should be done per the industry-set compliance rules and best practice standards.

To securely destroy digital data, sensitive information is overwritten using random data, which renders the original data unreadable. Failure to securely erase data leads to heightened vulnerability to identity theft. A study carried out in 2015 shows that 48% of smartphones and 2nd-hand hard drives contained residual data with sensitive information, including photos and videos.

For larger organizations, the stakes are much higher. The privacy of at least 340,000 people was compromised when Affinity Health Plan, Inc. leased out computer hardware that was not properly sanitized. The company paid a whopping $1.2M in settlement for oversight with the Health and Human Services Department.

How to destroy data
Your organization must determine where all the data is stored and decide which data they would like to keep when decommissioning data centers. This can be achieved through establishing policies that require documents to be stored in a particular manner, such as on a specific server. Data is not destroyed if there is a copy of the documents in an employee’s flash drive.

When all the data has been stored correctly, and in the required format, you can use any of the following methods if relevant to your scenario while decommissioning data centers:

•Disposal

Disposal is dumping un-sanitized data. It should only include non-confidential information. Disposal is easy, for a physical hard drive, it only involves taking it to an electronics disposal site. Disposal does not involve any e-cycling of data storage equipment.

•Overwriting

Overwriting is one of the most common techniques of decommissioning data centers. It is also a great way to address data remnants (the residual data representations that remain after attempts to erase it). It involves overwriting the drive with new data. The storage media can then be used for other purposes, and hence e-cycling is possible.

According to experts, overwriting is a relatively low cost and easy option since it can be done by software and can be applied to the whole medium or selectively on the part of it.

One of the unique benefits of this technique is that when all data storage locations are addressed, a single pass is usually adequate for data destruction. Overwriting ensures that all data remnants are erased, therefore maintaining data security. It is also an environmentally friendly option, according to experts.

On the other hand, overwriting an entire high-capacity drive may take a long time to complete, especially when decommissioning data centers. The process might also not be able to clean out data from inaccessible folders such as host-protected locations. Furthermore, there is usually no security protection during an erasure process, and it could be vulnerable to intentional parameter changes.

•Degaussing

In the case that your company is destroying all the information from outdated hard disks or other magnetic storage devices, degaussing is an excellent option of decommissioning data centers. It involves magnetically erasing data by eradicating magnetic data fields on the disk media. It is a great option for firms that are decommissioning data centers.

Degaussing permanently renders the hard disks unusable, and hence it is essential to exclude the media with important data. With this method, e-cycling is not possible. It also works for cassettes, reels, diskettes, and cartridge tapes. The process might, however, leave small amounts of residual data in the hard drive and are therefore not always 100% effective. It is advisable to use strong degaussing magnets to ensure certain data is permanently destroyed.

On the flip side, strong degaussing products can be quite expensive. Furthermore, they can have magnetic fields that are strong enough to cause collateral damage to all vulnerable equipment in the surrounding area.

Degaussing is not the right method to use if you are planning on using your drives again. This is because manufacturers cannot fix drives or honor warranties as a result of degaussing incidents.

The effectiveness of degaussing primarily depends on the density of the drive. However, experts say that degaussing capabilities can diminish over time with the technology changes in hard drives and their small sizes. The effectiveness of the method also depends on the people carrying out the procedure. While all three techniques of data destruction are prone to human error, degaussing is particularly sensitive to the length of time and strength of the degaussers.

•Physical Destruction

There are several methods used by organizations in the physical decommissioning of data centers, such as melting, disk shredding, drilling drive cores, or any other physical damage that renders the media unusable.

Physical destruction offers the highest assurance that the data has been utterly destroyed. There is no possibility of someone reconstructing a melted disk.

On the other hand, physical destruction can be costly for firms with a lot of data to dispose of. There are high capital expenses in most physical destruction processes as they use machinery or hot furnaces.

According to experts, the physical destruction of data is not a financially sustainable strategy due to the expenses involved. Furthermore, the approach disregards most organizations’ sustainability programs. Even for companies decommissioning their data centers have to bear huge costs due to the number of devices they have.

A few companies such as Intel have, however, found a way to efficiently destroy their data physically since they found transporting drives for degaussing to be impractical and insecure.

Data Destruction Laws
Technology has dramatically evolved over recent years, and so has information. Governments must, in turn, adjust their regulations to the changing landscape. There are a number of federal and state laws that currently mandate that firms must adequately manage and destroy their data to protect employees and consumers.

•HIPAA

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountancy Act was introduced as the healthcare industry joined the digital era in both its administrative and clinical settings. The act protects the patient’s confidential records and directs their management.

Some of the destruction protocols in the HIPAA include:

Paper records should be burned, shredded, pulverized, or pulped until any information on them is rendered unobtainable and cannot in any way be reconstructed.

Opaque bags must be used to store a labeled prescription bottle until a disposal contractor properly destroys them.

Digital information must be destroyed using either overwriting software or degaussing techniques.

•The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act

The Computer Fraud Abuse Act was enacted in 1984 and has been amended six times now to adapt to data technology. The law basically prohibits anyone from accessing a computer without authorization. It was designed to punish hackers. The punishments can be quite severe, resulting in criminal convictions.

There are a handful of other acts, including the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, that regulate the way data is disposed of or destroyed.

When to destroy data
Some of the reasons that drive organizations to erase their data may dictate when the process of decommissioning data centers should be complete.

Legal compliance
Professionals are required by the law to keep and destroy data in a particular manner. Such rules, depending on the industry and e-cycling, may require some data to be destroyed on specific timelines. Other industries are governed by best practices and other guidelines that protect customer data such as medical, insurance, and Cybersecurity.

Internal Policies
Your organization should have its own set of information retention and destruction protocols. These protocols should be based on already established organization regulations but should cement new policies with no previous guidelines. A data destruction protocol should be part of every organization’s business process and not just an afterthought. For instance, if there are no regulations about portable storage like USB flash drives, your organization risks compromising its employees’ and customers’ data.

Tips for Proper Data Destruction
Information is a double-edged sword; as valuable as it can be to your business by helping understand consumer trends, it can cost you dearly if mismanaged. The punishment could be hefty fines or even lawsuits, but perhaps the worst thing would be reputation damage.

Fortunately, there are easy and clear steps to keep your company data compliant.

•Establish a Data Decimation Policy

There is a need for formalized policies to manage the data destruction process. A firm must first clearly define which information it would like to keep. Not all the information is valued equally by the organization. Therefore it is essential for any firm to clearly identify the documents that should be included in the destruction process. When selecting the data that should be destroyed, a company should involve all the representatives of the company’s departments to ensure all the improvement opportunities and weak points are considered.

While it is advisable to create policies, enforcing them is just as important. You should periodically perform audits of the data destruction process and ensure that all the agreed requirements are being met.

•Digitize Records

Some companies are required by the law to keep hard copies of certain documents for a given period. These companies set e data retention schedules and have techniques for destroying paper documents securely.

However, in most firms, paperwork is unnecessary. It is easy for people to make a photocopy of the paper, and you would never tell until it is too late. No matter how meticulous a filing system is, the manager cannot tell when paperwork is missing or perform a fast audit.

Digitizing data has become a necessity for most firms in recent years. Data destruction software has also evolved to offer automatic data destruction processes. Managers can now easily manage the storage and destruction of sensitive data. The storage of data in the digital cloud also ensures that the e-cycling of storage media is possible.

•Take Advantage of Record Management Software

Record Management Software has been an excellent way for firms to protect e data through its whole lifecycle. By performing independent audits and automating processes, the software alerts the user when documents and e data have expired and need to be destroyed.

Retention of certain documents for longer than the law requires could result in fines. It is, therefore, crucial for companies to not only correctly destroy data but also to do so on time.

•Hire a Records Management Consultant

Regulations for data retention and destruction differ by state and by industry. To ensure that your firm stays compliant with the laws in your state, you should consider hiring the services of a records management consultant. The consultants can help you determine if your firm is storing and destroying data in compliance with the law to protect your company’s reputation.

•The cloud

There is a major concern among firms on how to integrate data destruction with the e-cloud. It is understandable, seeing as all companies are shifting their storage to the cloud. Without the physical storage, there is a lot of concern about data safety. In case you wish to get the services, review the cloud service provider’s policy on data destruction and integrity to ensure their services will comply.

•Train your employees

It is also an excellent idea to sensitize employees on the information and comprehensiveness policy. It is a powerful system to ensure that the employee and client data is not put in the risk of exposure. You can also teach your staff on the importance of following federal regulations as they are only trying to protect the economy from competition-sensitive information.

Whether your firm needs to have paperwork destroyed or e data, a destruction vendor could be a great option to keep your shelves clean. Before hiring a vendor, make sure that they meet all your company’s requirements and are qualified to offer protection to your employees and customers. If you are considering decommissioning data centers, it is also wise to consider hiring a data destruction vendor. For all of your e-cycling, data center decommissioning, and data center deconstructing needs, contact CJD E-Cycling.

Five reasons why data destruction is important

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Decommissioning data centersIt is important to make every effort to avoid data breaches when it comes to getting rid of old hard drives in your offices. Although deleting the drives yourself may seem more cost-effective, you run the risk of maliciously accessing and using your data. Data destruction is the destroying of data stored on hard disks, tapes, and other types of electronic media such that the data are rendered totally unreadable, and inaccessible. Decommissioning data centers is a different, debatable topic. First, let us have a look at what is meant by data destruction and decommissioning data centers.

Data destruction

Data destruction, also known as data processing, refers to the electronic and automated data destruction process. The original document should be wholly unreadable or inaccessible after data destruction.

Data is found everywhere in this age of technology. Even a small business can create an immense amount of data that will ultimately become redundant or outdated. Information includes reports written out and saved by the staff over time. The method of deleting information is more complicated than you can imagine; however, it is vital to the security of businesses and best left to a specialist. The points below will make more transparent why a specialist should be chosen to do the deed.

· You are responsible for your data records – whatever happens, even after your facilities are abandoned. If your data end up in the wrong hands, you will have to reply for losses that may occur.
· Backups are included in our laptops, cell phones, and computers and even copy machines. Sometimes you do not realize that the data may have been backed up or preserved in some way until you delete a file.
· It is important to monitor documents and keep your customer information secure. To keep the client’s information safe and private, many companies require a proper law. However, there are other records that need to be held for shorter periods of time and must be destroyed to remain industry-compliant.
· Old data are always in danger of being retained, which leads to identity theft, fraud, and harm to your company’s reputation.
All of the above points elaborate that data destruction is very important, and it should be left to a specialist. The decommissioning of data centers is necessary to destroy confidential data for security purposes. Decommissioning data centers is as important as the security of data. Hiring a professional for this purpose leads to fewer errors in the crucial matter of data leakage or data destruction.

What is the data center?

Data centers are substantially consolidated sites for the collection of storing, sorting, the transmission of, and access to a large amount of data that are specialized in computing of networking equipment and that have been around since computers were first launched. During the time when early computers were placed in rooms, the room was called a data center. It was also known as a supercomputer. As the hardware became smaller and cheaper, and storing information needs began to increase, the network processing capacity also began to develop to keep data safe.

Because of this high time need, supercomputers were converted to data centers. The data centers are often referred to as data server farms. These can store data of websites, emails, messaging, computer backups, mobile backups, e-commerce transactions, online gaming community data, and many other things.

A data center is a conglomeration of elements, not a single thing. “Rechenzentren” at a minimum function as the central warehouses for any form of IT hardware such as servers, processing subsystems, network switches, routers and firewalls, cables, and physical cell racks for IT equipment. An appropriate facility such as energy distribution and supplementary power supply networks like electric switches, continuous power supplies, standby generators, etc., ventilation or data center cooling systems, such as computer air conditioning rooms and ample capacity to network providers, should also be accessible in a data center.

Good security and safety practices must also be incorporated in data centers. For example, the layout of doorways and access corridors, should facilitate the passage of massive, unworkable IT buildings and allow staff to restore the infrastructure. Another critical area is fire suspension; traditional sprinklers are avoided due to the widespread use of sensitive, energy-rich electrical and electronic appliances. Data centers use environmentally-friendly chemical fore suppressors that crave an oxygen fire, thus mitigating collateral damage to the system. As the data center is also a core business resource, robust security precautions, including badge entry and video surveillance, allow staff, vendors, and intruders to identify and avoid malfunctions.

Decommissioning Data Centers

Decommissioning data centers refers to the destruction of places or networks where data is saved or preserved. Removal is also a decommissioning from service. Advanced systems of machines have mechanisms of dismantling that aid in the process for a shutdown. Sometimes, every computer in your network is forced to say farewell. Decommissioning data centers in complicated and entangled, but by making a checklist, errors can be avoided. Your data center is not just a set of metal and plastic parts. All of your business servers are encased within the data center. The quality of hardware may differ, but the information that resides in these machines can last for a long time. This may jeopardize the company’s future, which is why decommissioning data centers is essential.

Our Data Center Decommissioning Services:

We offer several data center decommissioning services; some are listed below:

· Cataloging Inventory

We create our own log of inventory, so there is no confusion.

· Decommission unused IT Assets

Removing all equipment and cabinets so the material can be prepared for shipping.

· Cable removal/mining

We remove all cables as they can be fire hazards, and removal is part of the rental contract.

· Returning Leased Equipment

We prepare and return equipment to the lessor.

· Destruction of Data

Whether it be on-site or at our processing facility, we destroy all data-bearing assets.

· Asset Tracking and Shipping

We compare our inventory with the customer provided equipment list. Decommissioned data center assets are prepared, packed, and shipped.

· Refurbish, Resell, Recycle

Datacenter equipment is shipped to our facility, where it is either prepared to be resold or recycled. We also send any reusable servers or other data center equipment to another company-owned location for further use.

 

Methods of data destruction:

There are several methods of data destruction. Some of them are listed below.

· Shredding

Although useful for the removal of physical data by doing it yourself, it can be a complicated and long process. This is another explanation of why it may be faster and more efficient to use a clearing service to clear a space.

· Degaussing

Data can be deleted by extracting and increasing the magnetic field on either a data disk or drive using a device called a degausser. As they were built explicitly for this function, they are extremely effective.

· Hiring a professional

For your needs, a qualified clearance firm may apply the best approach. So long as a valid waste carrier’s license and a comprehensive audit trail of your products can be given, this will guarantee that your software destruction has been carried out correctly.

The reasons for data destruction:

There are many ways in which data destruction or decommissioning centers are beneficial for business as well as personal life. Hiring a professional company specialized in the correct disposal of electronic data storage media is the most secure method of hard drive destruction.

· It becomes recoverable

Criminals can quickly recover information from hard drives, even those that are slightly corrupted, and thrown away hard drives as well. Wiping information from a hard drive does not ensure that the data is completely removed. Using high-security information destruction devices, physical destruction is best to delete all data and render them unrecoverable easily. By decommissioning data centers, the information becomes unrecoverable, and the criminals or other hackers cannot retrieve them.

· It frees up space

Saving old hard drives may take up valuable office space or drive storage. Destroying these hard drives is not only time-consuming but also dangerous at times. To save money and quickly free up space, whether in your office or from the drive, a hard drive demolition can help. By demolishing data, free space can be used for new data security.

· It avoids amalgamation

Businesses pay substantial penalties if their data storage equipment is not properly disposed of. Any time there is a breach of protection, the company can end up losing thousands of dollars in fines. By using data destruction services, preventing such penalties is simple. When you delete or destroy old data from your hard drive, it avoids amalgamation from other data, as well. The mixing of data with each other can lead to big problems. Through data destruction, it becomes easier to manage a large amount of data.

· It enables safety by complete removal

A software destruction service will ensure the complete removal of all information on your data storage devices. We do this by using a high-security computer cutter to destroy the hard drives physically. This will make it possible to restore information on hard drives.

· It makes sure that the company is perfect

A professional software destruction firm is aware of data storage technology destruction legislation. Meeting these regulations is their responsibility and ensuring that your company is legal. It removes the fear of penalties and guarantees that your hard drives are appropriately disposed of in accordance with the laws related to electronic storage media.

Occasionally through human error and negligence, documents that were not meant to be erased are erased. Unfortunately, if a hard drive holding critical data is lost, recovering that information is very challenging. A successful tape backup system is the best option recommended by IT professionals. Human error can hardly be prevented, so an insurance policy is a must. Since records can be easily stored or restored in different backups, accidentally destroyed documents can be replaced quickly and easily. To be secure, companies can take steps to remove information from their hard drives before disposal.

Overwriting is a process as well, but it is not enough to do it once. Experts recommend utilizing specialized software to overwrite the drive at least three times. One method is degaussing the hard disk and backup tape and demagnetizing them. There are companies out there that can also carry out this function on-site. Eventually, shredding the drive and film is also an effective method. In such ways, the removal of data is essential for a company or business.

Things to keep in mind during data destruction:

· If communicating with third parties, draft agreements involving software deletion, including backups, duplicate records, and other versions if no longer necessary for their intended purpose.

· Shred the copy to destroy the files while processing hard copies like paper printouts, CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. In some situations, it may be appropriate to use pulverizers or incinerators. Remember that it is not illegal to reuse hard copies, e.g., use as scratch paper as long as they do not contain personal data.

· Data processing usually requires a process called digital sanitization when treating electronic copies. Clear deleting of information is not enough, as the data remains on the disk and still usable until it is re-written or overwritten for recovery. With digital sanitization, it becomes irreversibly lost. To carry it out, assistance is often needed.

·Sometimes it may be necessary to destroy the equipment physically. This often includes third party support and can be achieved on-site or off-site. It is preferable to allow the person in charge of the disposal to verify in case of an agency or corporation that data destruction has properly been carried out.

This article elaborated on the importance of data privacy along with the significance of its destruction and the methods of its disposal. Different kinds of data are essential in business or personal life. The benefits of data destruction and techniques are discussed above for a company or an individual’s interests. Saying goodbye to the data is hard, but sometimes it becomes necessary due to the privacy factor. Understanding all the critical elements of data destruction is very important before allowing software or an individual to destroy the data.

Everything You Need to Know About Copper Recycling

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Copper Pipe Recycling

Copper Recycling: A Valuable Waste Reducing Method

We only have a limited amount of materials on this planet. We use things at an alarming rate, and it isn’t slowing down any time soon. Even things that we take for granted every day could end up becoming a rare commodity if we aren’t careful. This includes something as simple as copper.

Copper is a metal used in a lot of everyday products, such as wire and jewelry. As mentioned, we only have a certain amount of copper in the world. For that reason, many establishments have been developed to reuse unwanted copper into something new.

Recycling is a much more environmentally friendly process than mining new copper. It’s also a way for people to make money.

Gathering up copper and selling the scrap metal may be a way for someone to make some extra money. In order to do this, it’s important to separate the copper from other metals. It’s also important to separate the copper itself as there are different grades of copper which will be explained later. Then the recycling plant, such as CJD E-Cycling, can go about getting it ready for its next use.

Here is everything you need to know about copper recycling.

About Copper

Copper is a type of metal. It is used in wiring, motors, plumbing, machinery, roofing, and a number of other things.

Copper is a non-ferrous metal. That means that it does not contain iron. Metals without iron are typically more expensive than ferrous metals with iron. If you aren’t sure if the object you’re looking at is made of ferrous or non-ferrous metal, use the magnet test. If the magnet sticks to the object, it contains iron. Brass, aluminum, and stainless steel are examples of other non-ferrous metals. Ferrous metals include steel, iron, and titanium. This will be important in copper recycling later when you need to separate your materials.

Copper is also particularly good at conducting electricity. Silver is the only other material in the world with higher conductive properties. That’s why copper is used in so many wires today. It’s important for electricians when they create electric lines. It’s also important for construction workers when they build around electric lines.

History of Copper

The first copper jewelry was found in the Middle East. It is thought to be from about 87,000 BC. Ever since then, the material has been used in numerous other ways, especially construction. In fact, it was used in buildings instead of rock as early as 8000 BC. Soon after that in 4000 BC, people in ancient Egypt were melting the copper down to mold it into shapes. When people learned how to use this technology in more practical ways, it lead to a whole new era known as the Bronze Age.

Copper was found all over the ancient world. Ancient Romans found most of their copper on the island of Cypress. It was originally called the “metal of Cypress” in Roman before gradually getting the name we know today.

Copper is naturally found all around the world. Ever since ancient times, people have seen the capabilities of copper recycling. There is evidence that even ancient civilizations reused copper. 

Copper in the United States

Copper is one of the items that we in the United States largely produce for ourselves. We are the second largest manufacturer of copper behind China, so we get to sell it to other countries, too. In fact, 8% of the copper in the world comes from the United States. Of course, a lot of this comes from copper recycling.

In the United States, we have more than 1.5 metric tons of copper. It is located mostly in the American West, particularly in the following states:

  • Arizona
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Utah

 We are mostly keeping these copper reserves for future use. Rather than mining more copper, we are utilizing copper recycling methods to help produce like-new copper in the easiest, cheapest, and most environmentally-friendly way. 

Reasons to Recycle Copper

There is a good chance that the copper items in your home were actually once a much different object before the copper was reused and for good reason! It’s an easy item to reuse and recycle, and it’s helpful to do so.

 There are a number of reasons that we use copper recycling instead of mining new copper. One of the main reasons is that it takes about 90% less energy to recycle copper than to mine it. When we use less energy, we are putting less pollution into the air. Mining uses valuable resources, creates a lot of pollution, and it costs a lot more money. The cost of mining is extreme, so reusing the copper we have already procured keeps manufacturing low and retail costs low.

 Also, copper is non-renewable. That means that when we use up all the copper available, there won’t be any left. That sounds scary, but the good news is that we’ve only depleted about 12% of the world’s copper supply so far. The good news continues, because copper is a great metal to be reused and recycled, so the copper levels won’t deplete very quickly as long as we continue copper recycling.

 Finally, people can make money from recycling. Copper is one of the most lucrative materials for people who collect scrap metal to sell under brass. In fact, it maintains about 90% of its original value in ideal cases. That brings it to about $2 – $4 per pound of copper. It’s also relatively easy to find this metal. If you want to take advantage of the opportunities, you need to know where to find copper.  

Where to Find Copper

One of the best places to find copper is on a construction site. Houses use a lot of copper. Look through the trash on a construction site for any copper that might have been accidentally discarded. There’s usually plenty of copper wire. There’s also copper in fittings, valves, and other hardware. You may also find trace amounts of copper in a number of appliances in your home.

It’s best to gather up the copper you gather into one large pile until you are ready to make a large trip to the recycling center. If you make several trips, you will end up paying more money in gas. You’ll also be putting more toxins in the air by driving more.

Separating Copper For Recycling

Everyone knows that you have to separate materials before going to the recycling center. However, you have to separate the different types of copper as well. You may think that all copper is the same, but that’s not the case. Here are the different types of copper to separate.

– #1 copper

This is the most expensive copper since it is in the best condition. It does not have any insulation on it, and it doesn’t have any oxidization or oil on the material. Many people will strip all insulation away from the pure copper. If you do not want to strip the wires beforehand, the wires should also be separated by itself into another pile.

– #2 copper

This is the second level down from #1 copper. It may have some imperfections to it, causing it to be more complicated to clean and recycle. Copper pipes with oil or residue on it are examples of #2 copper. This means that you will get a lower price for this copper.

– #3 (roofing) copper

Roofs go through a beating during their lifetime. Even the installation process covers the copper roofing material in tar and paint that might still be there when you’re ready to get rid of it. That’s not to mention all of the dirt and grime that will find its way on the roof as well.

– copper wiring

If you don’t know how to strip the insulation off copper wiring (or don’t want to) it will go in this final and least expensive category. It’s best to avoid stripping any wire, less than the width of your pinky.

 If you don’t know how to separate your copper properly, the people at an e-waste recycling center can answer any questions you have. The more you do it, the more you will learn. The more you learn, the more money you will make when you sell your scrap metal. The better scrap metal is separated, the easier it will be for the recycling center. That means that they will pay you more. 

How Copper is Recycled

Copper recycling is a very detailed process. There are variations depending on the copper being recycled, but it generally goes through the same process.

 First, copper is put through an assembly line that breaks down the copper to very small pieces that separates the pure copper from any insulation or any other objects it’s combined with. There are also times when copper is mixed in with other materials, such as lead or tin. Copper recycling processes may skip the refining process and keep the materials together if it will cost more money to separate the materials than to keep them combined. If you have any questions on what will happen with your scraps, ask the people at the e-waste recycling center.

 After all insulation and other materials are separated from the copper, the copper is put through a grueling process. It goes through a screener that examines the quality. It is then put through a density separator to divide them even further. It then goes through an inspection. This copper is finally taken to the final stage of the process where it is turned into 5/16 rods. These rods are then used to make whatever products are in demand. It will be back in the store on the shelf with no sign of it being recycled except maybe a sticker on the packaging.

 There are very strict requirements throughout the process, and all copper that comes out of the recycling process will be as clean and pure as possible.

 Copper used in wiring is the most difficult for copper recycling. This is its biggest downfall when it comes to recycling. We are finding better ways to accomplish the goal of reusing copper in wiring, but it doesn’t help that electrical systems are growing all over the world. CJD E-cycling and others are making this a priority in order to keep up with future needs. 

Throwing Away Copper

Our landfills are getting more full every day. We need to find space to keep this trash, and then we need to use valuable resources to take care of it. Adding copper to these landfills is a completely unnecessary action that has negative effects on the environment. Why throw away material that can be used over and over again with very little trouble? It’s every person’s responsibility to keep copper out of the trash can and into the recycling bin. If we don’t, the copper supply will disappear much more quickly than it has to. Not only will prices go up until it disappears, but we will be forced to use subpar materials as well. Don’t throw away copper unnecessarily. E-waste recycling companies are happy to pay you for your efforts.

 The more you know, the more you will be able to help the environment as well as your wallet. Copper is a very useful material, and it’s our responsibility to utilize it to its fullest potential before the supplies deplete to nothing. Too many people throw copper away, but throwing it away is only adding to the already giant landfills that are getting out of control. With just a little bit of effort, it can be handled more properly. Gather up the copper in your home and take it over to the nearest recycling center. Just be sure to separate things beforehand to help the people at the E-waste recycling center and earn yourself even more money.