seven CRITERIA FOR SELECTING AN E-Waste or ITAD PARTNER
Criterion #1
When considering a partner to decommission your business IT assets, ONLY e-Stewards & R2 Certified service providers can be trusted to provide sustainable equipment remarketing and end-of-life recycling services along with verifiable data destruction. These Certified Recyclers are required to demonstrate to an accredited, independent third-party auditor that they meet specific standards to safely recycle and manage electronics which is essential to protecting your reputation and bottom line.
Criterion #2
Whether you operate from a single location or have a geographic footprint that stretches across thousands of locations, TERRA has you covered. Representing the largest network of Certified Recyclers in North America, by connecting with TERRA, you can be assured your diverse needs will be satisfied by solutions experts that are in good standing with one or both e-waste certification bodies and will mitigate the high-cost of logistics by offering local and/or regional service partners.
Criterion #3
Currently, 25 states and the District of Columbia have enacted legislation establishing e-waste recycling requirements. Navigating this complex tapestry of laws, rules, and regulations requires knowledge to protect your organization's reputation and bottom line. Only Certified Recyclers are acknowledged by the industry as credentialed experts.
Criterion #4
From onsite collection, transport, inventory audit, and data destruction to device remarketing and/or end-of-life recycling, delivering an efficient recovery and recycling program requires a flexible, sustainable, and transparent process. TERRA’s Certified Recyclers make ongoing investments in employee training, onsite security, data destruction equipment, asset tracking systems, etc., giving their clients peace of mind and insight into the status of their assets.
Criterion #5
You expect that the sensitive and valuable assets you entrust to your solutions provider will be handled in a responsible and ethical manner. Therefore, you should demand more than just talk about trust. Integrity must be demonstrated. It starts with choosing a Certified Recycler that is committed to meeting their obligations to adhere to high standards. You should also expect transparency – which includes detailed service quotes, reasonable timelines and robust reporting.
Criterion #6
Your ITAD partner must have a strong internal system to generate accurate and timely audit/inventory reports, Certificates of Destruction (COD), settlement reports, etc., that let you know the equipment given to them has been disposed in a certified and scientific manner. This is a necessary part of the recovery and recycling process and will help you maintain proper records and insulate your businesses from liability for data breach and improper disposal of e-waste.
Criterion #7
Many organizations simply view their retired electronics as clutter, so they fall into the trap of comparing solutions based on cost alone. What’s worse is when they are lured by unscrupulous, non-certified operators that provide no protection from the liability inherent in their used equipment. The experienced IT asset manager knows the value that Certified Recyclers offer and understands how their process for delivering efficient and intelligent disposition of retired assets maximizes ROI and mitigates risk.
