E-waste disposal is a complicated process. Because technology is advancing at a rapid pace, electronics now have much shorter shelf lives. While your devices are in use, however, they collect a lot of information about you that must be destroyed before you dispose of them. Otherwise, you’re running the risk of the device’s next owner learning sensitive information about your health, bank accounts, and other personal details. Read on to learn more about proper e-waste disposal.

The Problem

In the interest in protecting our planet, it’s vital that we all recycle our old electronics. When electronics are tossed into landfills, they cause contamination of groundwater, pollution, and the emission of greenhouse gases. Not only is this method of disposal terrible for the environment, it leaves you vulnerable to identity theft if someone happens upon your old device. Therefore, it benefits both you and the planet to responsibly recycle old electronics you no longer use.

What to Do

Proper electronics recycling requires you to destroy the hard drives of devices that contain your personal information. This is important to do because, as technology advances, so too do the techniques of thieves out to benefit from stealing your personal info. Accordingly, physically destroying a hard drive is the only way to ensure your sensitive information isn’t thrown out into the world along with your old electronic devices.

Where Your Sensitive Information Lives

First, use an external hard drive or a flash drive to back up the following types of files before destroying your hard drive. This helps salvage your important data:

• Pictures
• Video
• Music
• Documents and PDFs
• Passwords
• Login information
• Emails

E-waste Disposal

Finally, the best way to dispose of e-waste is to employ a trusted company to destroy your info while responsibly recycling your old devices. The dedicated team at JDog Junk Removal & Hauling is here to help with your electronics disposal needs. Contact us today by calling 844-GET-JDOG to schedule a pickup.