Why Your Old Tech Can Haunt You
When you retire a laptop, smartphone, router, or any device that stores data—but don’t dispose of it securely—you’re leaving the door open for someone else to walk in. Even if it looks broken. Even if “we wiped it.”
The Big Risks
- 40% of second-hand storage devices still contain personally identifiable information. (Pulse Direct)
- 25% of data breaches stem from negligence—including poor e-waste recycling practices. (ERI Direct)
- The average cost of a data breach is about $4.4 million. (Secureframe)
- 62 million tons of e-waste were generated globally in 2022, but only 22% was properly collected and recycled. (UNITAR Global E-Waste Monitor 2024)
What This Means for Your Business
If you toss or recycle devices without secure data destruction, you risk exposing:
- Employee records
- Customer information
- Financial data and trade secrets
That can lead to regulatory fines, reputational damage, and major financial losses. Even “factory reset” devices can often be restored with simple data recovery tools. Proper e-waste disposal isn’t just an environmental duty—it’s a critical cybersecurity safeguard.
What You Should Do
- Inventory retired devices – laptops, phones, tablets, servers, hard drives.
- Use certified e-waste recyclers or ITAD services – look for R2 or e-Stewards certifications.
- Sanitize all data – perform secure wipes or physical destruction; never rely on deletion alone.
- Keep a chain of custody – document who handled each device and how it was destroyed.
- Train your team – make secure disposal part of everyday IT operations.
- Add it to your policies – e-waste security should be a line item in your cybersecurity plan.
Think Beyond “Tech Refresh”
It’s easy to upgrade to new tech and forget the old, but discarded devices are one of the most overlooked data risks today. With e-waste rising five times faster than documented recycling, the risk is only growing.
Every IT lifecycle should end with secure disposal—because skipping that step is like leaving your back door unlocked.
Final Thought
Proper e-waste disposal protects more than the planet—it protects your business. Treat every retired device as a potential vulnerability until you’ve verified it’s securely destroyed.
💡 NableIT can help your business develop secure, compliant, and sustainable e-waste policies that safeguard your data from start to finish.
🔗 Contact us to learn more about our cybersecurity and data protection solutions.
