While leftovers are a wonderful aspect of Thanksgiving dinner, in the electronics world, they create issues for the environment, your bottom-line and your company’s cyber security. As technology continues to evolve at an accelerating pace, businesses are finding themselves replacing electronic devices with increased frequency. Companies of all sizes and across many industries are opting to swap out obsolete equipment with the latest and greatest products. Though the goal of these efforts is to enhance employee productivity, customer experience and other benchmarks of a successful operation – they can also create an assortment of unintended financial and environmental consequences.

When old electronic devices are not disposed of properly, they often wind up in landfills that can leech chemicals into groundwater that harm human, animal and plant life. Letting your outdated equipment pile up in closets and other storage spaces around your office is not much better. This practice keeps the finite material resources that your electronics contain off the market – stoking the global demand that can fuel hazardous mining operations in developing nations. It can also lead to cyber security issues as outlined in our October newsletter.

You can reduce the size of your company’s environmental footprint and stretch your budget by making the most of your existing and leftover technology. With this in mind, we’ve assembled a concise round-up of e-waste management strategies that we can all be thankful for.

Physical Maintenance – Proper upkeep of your company’s computers and other electronics can dramatically extend their life cycle. Unplugging devices when they are not in use to avoid surges and overcharging, safeguarding items with protective cases and regularly dusting them with compressed air are just a few simple steps you can take to keep your equipment running smoothly.

Virtual Management – Keep your computers functioning like new by regularly deleting unused files, running antivirus scans, staying current with updates and uninstalling trial programs or other junk software. Following best practices for strong password creation, email authenticity and network security will also help you avoid equipment damaging cyberattacks.

Incorporate the Cloud – The next time you upgrade, consider a cloud storage solution for your data. Doing so will help reduce dependence on physical hard drives that must be regularly replaced while enhancing your team’s access to essential digital resources.

Partner with an E-Waste Recycling Company – No matter how well you treat your technology, it will have to be disposed of eventually. Having your equipment processed by a recycling company that specializes in e-waste and is R2RIOS certified will ensure your data is completely eliminated, all reusable resources are properly separated and toxic materials are handled safely.

At PC Survivors, we’ve made it our mission to help businesses manage their e-waste in a responsible, sustainable and cost-effective manner. We create and implement custom electronics recycling solutions for companies that reflect their unique business models, regulatory constraints, budgets and other distinct factors. When you work with our team, you can enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner with family knowing that your leftover tech has been disposed of responsibly.