When it is time to upgrade or change your IT hardware, significant planning can help you avoid unnecessary disposal of valuable products and allow you to dispose of items in a responsible manner. IT asset disposition (ITAD) services can help you make the right choices along the way.

Make Significant Changes

Before disposal of items, you have the opportunity to consider IT practices that could be improved, both in efficiency and hardware. For example, you may want to transition some of your in-house IT functions to a remote location. This way, someone else can handle the bulk of your IT problems without absorbing valuable space in your building. Another consideration will be functions that can be performed with cloud-based services. This can reduce or eliminate the need for bulky servers and other types of hardware in the future that will need to be replaced or upgraded, saving you money along the way.

Be Responsible

Responsible disposal includes protecting sensitive business and employee information while disposing of items in a manner that does not harm the environment. Using an ITAD service means your hardware is wiped clean before it changes hands. Just simply deleting files and software off servers and computers is not enough to prevent sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

Many components of your IT hardware can be dangerous if disposed of in the wrong manner. For example, rechargeable batteries must be disposed of in a proper manner since they can leak caustic materials that are harmful to anyone who handles them, and these chemicals can also make their way into the soil or waterways. Sometimes dangerous chemicals can be neutralized in a way that it is no longer a threat.

Recycle And Reuse

Sometimes the IT hardware can be reused within your business in some way. For example, the IT department may be upgrading their computers, but their old computers are still better than the ones used elsewhere in the business. Cleaned hard-drives and memory strips may be suitable for other computers in your business. When there is no logical way to reuse these items within your business, there are plenty of options to reuse or recycle them elsewhere. Components that cannot be reused may be broken-down, and valuable metals could be recycled to create new electronic items. Community organizations can be benefit from some of these devices, whether they are used to assist people with education or finding jobs.

Preparing for changes in your IT department can minimize waste and give some of your old equipment a new life. Contact local IT asset disposition services for more information.