What is Hard Drive Disposal?
Computer hard drives contain sensitive information like passwords, addresses, and financial details. Hard drive disposal, or hard drive destruction, renders these devices physically and digitally unusable. Overwriting, wiping, and shredding are a few methods to erase hard drive data, make residual data irretrievable, and physically destroy the devices beyond usability.
Computer hard drive disposal is integral to ethical and responsible electronics recycling. Careless disposal of hard drives in e-waste exposes individuals and businesses to cybersecurity threats.
We provide EPA-compliant, eco-friendly, and secure hard drive disposal services at Hummingbird International. Fill out the form below and schedule a free pickup for your discarded storage devices.
Top 4 Hard Drive Disposal Methods
Depending on the extent of data erasure services you’re looking for, the following hard drive disposal methods handle most data safety needs.
- Overwriting: Writing random strings of meaningless data on the hard drive platters to make the original data impossible to read or understand.
- Degaussing: A strong magnetic field is used to wipe the hard drive for disposal.
- Shredding: Powerful shredders physically destroy hard drives as one of the most effective ways to dispose of old drives.
- Incineration: Industrial-grade incinerators physically destroy the hard drives by melting them completely.
Unsure which of these methods is right for you? Talk to our hard drive recycling experts today.
Protect Data Along With The Planet
When you participate in responsible hard drive disposal, you take care of more than just your data. Environmental concerns rule everything we do here at Hummingbird International — including hard drive recycling.
While most hard drives are made of nominal amounts of harmful metals like lead and mercury, enough can get into landfills when you throw in discarded hard drives with the regular e-waste. That’s why we follow a strict no-landfill policy.
Each hard drive is fully vetted to ensure it has been completely wiped and no residual data remains. Expert technicians then use high-tech equipment to destroy hard drives and render them unusable. All of this is done in EPA-compliant settings with our own rigorous environmental safety protocols in place. Throughout the process, we ensure zero harm to our people, their surroundings, and the environment.
Learn more about how we handle old computer hard drive disposal. Talk to our experts today.
Hard Drive Disposal Certificate
When you send in your hard drives for disposal or recycling, insist on receiving a hard drive disposal certificate confirming that your data and devices have been destroyed. Remember that data destruction is a vital component of hard drive recycling. If an e-waste recycling company refuses to provide you with this certificate, they may not be the right people to trust with your sensitive data.
Learn more about the cybersecurity threats that accompany irresponsible e-waste recycling here. For professional hard drive disposal services in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas, talk to our experts or fill out the form below.
We offer free e-waste pickup to commercial and residential clients and a range of enterprise-level ITAD services, too.