Sustainability and E-Cycling: What You Need To Know

Sustainability_E-Cycling_BlogGraphics-01

It’s a new year and time for a fresh start. Let’s take this year to focus on sustainability, e-cycling, and helping our environment. Before you go to throw away any unwanted e-waste check to see if your items can be recycled. Here’s what you need to know.

E-Waste

What is e-waste? E-waste includes: TVs, CFLs, LED lights, computers, computer monitors, printers, and more. E-waste accounts for 70% of toxic waste and fills 2% of U.S. landfills.

E-Cycling

Wondering what you can do with your e-waste? Avoid adding to the growing e-waste problem and e-cycle through public recycling areas, electronic suppliers, or e-waste recycling companies to ensure that these items are properly disposed of. 

Public Recycling Areas

Find out where your local recycling center is located and ask about an e-waste recycling program, what items they accept, and where their drop off location is.

Electronic Suppliers

You can find e-waste programs from retailers and electric companies such as Best Buy and Samsung. Visit various websites like these to find out which companies provide these programs. 

E-Waste Recycling Companies

Augusta Data Storage offers e-waste recycling options for many different types of electronics. You can contact us today to find out more about our e-solutions program.

What’s So Important About Recycling E-Waste? 

According to GESP, from 2014-2019 53.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste were created. This resulted in a 21% growth from 2014 to 2019. The World Health Organization helped put this amount into perspective; roughly 54 million metric tonnes of e-waste weighed as much as 350 cruise ships.

Environmental Safety

When electronics are thrown away and start to decompose, they release harmful materials that are dangerous for the environment. This puts water sources and  animals and vegitation that depend on those water sources at risk. 

Information Security

Apart from environmental security, information security is a driving factor when it comes to e-waste management. To avoid sensitive content being extracted after disposing of your electronics, proper e-waste destruction and recycle is recommended. At Augusta Data Storage, our hard drive destruction services are NAID-AAA certified, maintaining a tight chain of custody for your items and providing you with a certificate of destruction. Once the hard drives are destroyed, our partners work to remove any toxic and harmful materials from the e-scrap, before sending the remaining metal and plastic to be recycled.

Our e-cycling process is a zero-landfill solution and we’re proud to partner with e-cycling experts and post-consumer recycling companies who prioritize environmental stewardship. 

Importance of Sustainable Business Practices

On the heels of growing environmental concerns and sustainability initiatives, taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint and lessen the impact you and your organization have on the environment is more important than ever. 

How can you create a more sustainable work space in 2022? Here are some sustainable trends we will see in 2022: 

Renewable Energy

Even if your facility can’t make the switch to renewable energy, consider supporting companies who value renewable energy this year. Apple, Intel, Google, and Microsoft are great companies that rely on renewable energy, citing price, and price predictability. Switching to clean energy will help your business  gain efficiency and a greener future.

Net-Zero Emissions

Pledge to implement a net-zero goal into your company. Once you set the goal, track, reduce and eliminate carbon emissions you create in your day-to-day operations What is in it for you? This creates a healthier environment for us and attracts environmentally-conscious investors and customers. 

Give-Back Programs

Give back this year by donating profits to charities, relief organizations, and other great causes. Not only are you doing a good deed but this will attract new customers who are looking to donate through their purchases.

Sustainable Food Products 

Plastic is out and more sustainable packing is in this year. Seaweed, mushrooms-derived and cornstarch among other products have been used to replace plastic. Surpluses are taking leftover ingredients that are no longer needed to create new products. So, if you’re stocking the snack room or picking up take out, consider foods and restaurants that prioritize sustainable packaging. 

How Augusta Data Storage Prioritizes Sustainable Shredding 

Augusta Data Storage has teamed up with an Georgia-based recycling partner to provide electronic waste solutions that are designed to eliminate environmental and security risks that come with the disposal of electronics. 

So, what does our e-waste process look like?

We protect your business when it comes to e-shredding and destruction with our NAID-AAA compliant process

  • You Dispose
    • Once you have decided that you are ready to discard unwanted items you can either drop them into one of our secure shred containers or contact us for bulk purge shredding.
  • We Shred
    • You are able to schedule regular shredding services or make a one time appointment. Either way your items will be securely disposed of through our NAID-AAA certified process through our on-site shred plant or our mobile shredding units.
  • We Process & Bale
    • No matter the service you select, the shredded paper will be baled and processed at our facility. Once that has been completed they are ready to be recycled.
  • Partner Recycling
    • Our partners at GP Harmon pick up the recyclable bales and turn it into something new.