Data Destruction

Ever Green Environmental can help you safely recycle your electronics in Greenville, SC. Devices like TVs, computers, phones and laptops can release toxins into the air when left to deteriorate in landfills, so it’s important to help keep our South Carolina environment clean by recycling your e-waste. But what if there’s more to it? A huge component of recycling your electronics is ensuring your data remains private. If your electronics are being recycled for second-use, properly destroying your personal data is vital. It has been shown that as many as 10% of reused hard drives contain personal information from the previous owner. Not only that, but companies have been hacked or breached by getting rid of or repurposing hard drives that still contained sensitive data.

The Importance of Data Destruction

Data destruction is the process of safely destroying secure information on an electronic device, ensuring personal or professional data is removed and no longer readable. You work hard to keep your information private and your company’s data secure. When you go to recycle your electronics in Murrells Inlet, you could be surrendering this information without knowing it if you haven’t ensured proper data destruction.

You may be wondering what types of data destruction exist and which are the most effective for keeping your information private. There are a few different methods, and some are more effective than others:

• Data Deletion : Deleting an email, document, or any other file from your computer or phone will delete it from the file folder, but not from the hard drive itself. This is not a secure method of data destruction and is not enough to ensure data privacy.

• Data Wiping : Wiping your hard drive or device can be thought of as a reset of sorts. If you’re looking to reuse your own hard drive and don’t need the current information stored, this could be a simple solution. However, a data wipe is not a safe destruction method and hasn’t been proven to erase 100% of your data. If you are selling or recycling your device, a data wipe cannot ensure privacy protection.

• Data Erasure : Erasure is the fundamental data destruction method that is secure and complete. Data erasure usually comes with a certificate of destruction showing proof that data has been securely destroyed.

• Data Degaussing : Degaussing is the data destruction method that uses magnets to disrupt the magnetic field of the device, which ultimately destroys the data. Degaussing can ensure secure data destruction, but it also renders the device inoperable, so make sure you use this method only if you are not looking to refurbish the device for reuse.

• Data Shredding : Hard drive shredding is another form of physical destruction and is the most cost effective and efficient way of ensuring your data is securely destroyed.

At Ever Green Environmental, we can work with you to figure out which data destruction method fits your needs. Whether you are a business in Irmo, SC with large amounts of electronics to recycle and need a cost-efficient and fast way to safely destroy data, or you’re an individual in the Grand Strand area looking for privacy protection, we can help. Reach out to us today to explore our safe recycling methods.