Don’t Let Your Data Haunt You: Safely Recycle Electronics at CHaRM
Need to dispose of electronics that contain sensitive information, including hard drives? Take them to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) for secure recycling!
More than 1 million people have their identity stolen every year in the US. That’s a nightmare no one wants to face! When this happens, credit cards may be opened, tax refunds stolen, or health insurance used fraudulently. Even scarier, victims typically spend between six months to several years recovering and securing their accounts.
Why Recycling Electronics Matters
On top of protecting your data, recycling your electronics keeps harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury, and flame retardants out of the environment. The impact of these toxins on people and the planet is the reason why, in Colorado, it’s illegal to throw electronics in the trash. Plus, electronics contain valuable metals including copper, silver, and other rare earth elements that can be reused, reducing the need for mining.
Safe and Secure Electronics Recycling at CHaRM
To protect your data—and the environment—take your electronics to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM), located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd in Boulder, and open Monday–Saturday, 9 am–5 pm.
Our electronics recycling partner, Blue Star Recyclers, is certified in the most rigorous data-destruction standards through the National Association of Information Destruction (NAID AAA Certification®), ensuring your personal information is secure. Blue Star Recyclers is also E-Steward certified, ensuring that they are adherent to the highest standards of environmental responsibility and worker protection.
What happens to your electronics?
After you drop off your electronics at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM, they are transported to Blue Star Recyclers’ Denver facility, where the e-waste is sorted by category. General electronics (like vacuum cleaners, keyboards, DVD players, etc.) are processed by third-party recyclers. Electronics that could contain sensitive information, like computers, laptops, and servers, are processed on-site. These devices are brought to a secure storage area, where hard disk drives, solid state drives, and other data-containing storage devices are either physically destroyed or digitally wiped.
Data destruction protocols at a glance:
- Any computer that can be refurbished is first digitally wiped with special software to ensure all stored data is deleted, ensuring no sensitive information carries over to the new user.
- If a computer is not recoverable as a whole, some parts may still be functional for reuse. This includes the processors, RAM, solid-state drives, and hard disk drives. The data drives are digitally wiped and then tested for functionality before resale.
- If a computer’s drives are not recoverable and thus destined for scrap, the drives are physically destroyed. This is done with a drive shredder, which mechanically destroys the drive, rendering it unreadable.
Don’t let your old electronics and personal data come back to haunt you! Drop them off at the Eco-Cycle CHaRM and rest assured that your identity and the environment are well protected. Learn more at ecocycle.org/charm!
