Gallery

How to make your business green: Recycling

Posted on 2 Sep 2008 at 16:57

"What they don't realise is that, while the disk may belong to the reseller, the data still belongs to the company. It's their responsibility to ensure data is processed in a safe and secure manner under the Data Protection Act."

To that end, it's always worth asking the recycling firm what sort of disk-wiping software it will be using. If you hear Blancco, which is approved by the Ministry of Defence, wiped data is going to stay wiped, avoiding any potential embarrassments in the future.

Donate to charity
While an older PC may no longer meet your needs, there are still plenty of people who could use it. Charities such as Computer Aid refurbish machines for use by schools in the developing world and will happily take any working Pentium III machines or above - and wipe the information with Blancco before sending them to their new homes.

They'll also collect from your workplace, although there will be a fee depending on weight and location, so email the company an inventory first to find out how much it will cost. It's free if you deliver it yourself.

Feature index: How to make your business green

Author: Stuart Turton