Electronic Data Safety for Homes and Small Offices

PC and Laptop Hard Disk Drives!

Did you know that multinational Hard Disk Drive producers Seagate and Western Digital share over 85% of the market? Correspondingly, the growth or decline in hard drive shipments for desktops and laptops by both Seagate and Western Digital are closely related to global desktop and laptop sales.

RTE reported that sales of personal computers were expected to decline by 2.7%  in 2017 with technology research firm IDC predicting that PC shipments will fall by 4% in 2018. Most PC shipped will included a Hard Disk Drive.

In 2019, global unit shipments of Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) fell to 316.3 million units, with forecasts for 2020 predicting shipments will fall once more to 296.22 million units. Looking ahead, as per sources, high-capacity enterprise HDD shipments are expected to grow, although at a slower rate than previously forecast.  (Source: Statista)

Hard Disk Drives – Recycle IT

Creating Data

Even with PC sales slowing we are all still large consumers of information and we’re buying lots of electronic equipment which include hard disk drives (HDD) to store business and personal customer data including photos of everything from our kids to bank statements and passwords.

Did you know that 90% of the data on the internet has been created since 2016? The is according to an IBM Marketing Cloud study which suggests individuals, organizations, and devices have all become data creators who are turning out vast amounts of information to the internet daily.

Storage

Today data can be stored on computers, external hard drives, mobile phones, tablets, memory cards, memory keys or many other storage devices. Both business and personal data is stored and can be valuable to others. Information like credit card information, photos or customer contact details, medical history and much more.

So if you are upgrading to a new computer device (desktop computer, phone, laptop, tablet, etc.) please arrange for the removal of the hard drive at the same time as recycling the computer!

It’s important to remain mindful of removing, erasing and destroying data which is important to you.

Hard Disk Drives for Destruction – Recycle IT

What to Do next?

The key to destroying your computer HDD is ensuring the drive can’t ever spin again. The physical destruction of the drive means increased confidence that stored data is obliterated and can never be used again. This is the method to Recycle IT practice.

In the interest of time and money, you don’t need to destroy the full PC or laptop, just the hard disk drive (HDD) which is a small box inside of computer, servers or laptop.

How to Destroy Hard Disk Drives 

If you are disposing of an old computer with a hard drive, it’s best to physically destroy the hard drive just to be 100% certain that the old data is completely destroyed.

Recycle IT use trained personal and electronic tools to ensure the HDD is physically destroyed. This method is an ideal option for the disposal of home or office hard drives.

Hard Disk Drive – Recycle IT

Safety in Destruction

Our team takes every precaution from wearing protective goggles, gloves, and a dust mask for mouth and nose when cutting into the metal drive. They can cut right through the drive, from one side to the other multiple times ensuring the platters and the controller board are shattered.  Recycle IT can also provide destruction and disposal certification depending on your needs.

Finally

Not matter who or what method you choose, it’s best to arrange the destruction of old hard drives containing important information before or at the time of recycling your computers, laptops, phones, etc.  Recycle IT offer the service and the opportunity to view the destruction process.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning, not for profit, social enterprise established to create employment and promote environmental awareness through recycling and reuse. We work in partnership with WEEE Ireland and are authorized by your local authority to provide electrical, electronic and pure metal recycling collections across Dublin since 2007. Recycle IT are fully compliant for WEEE collection with permit detail available here.

To speak with Recycle IT please call 01 4578321 or email us at here

Visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Summer Newsletter 2020

News and Updates

Keeping tabs on what’s happening in the world of reducing waste, reuse, recycle and general environmental wellbeing.

Biodiversity and plastic-free July are just some of the stories in the Summer 2020 edition of the Recycle IT newsletter.

Our first issue was published in summer 2016 to keep recyclers and the community in touch with what’s happening at our recycling service and further afield!

There have been many exciting and sometimes challenging developments since 2016 and we hope you can take some time to read the latest articles.​
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​To download your copy, please click on the link below the image, right. If you would like to ask any questions, please drop us a line here.

Just click the image below or click here to access the newsletter.

Recycle IT Summer 2020 Newsletter

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning not for profit enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Last year Recycle IT offered to drop off and collection services to homes, schools, charities, and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves and TV’s.

Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.

Recycle IT – Repak Award Winner 2019 – WEEE Champion

It’s Arrived! – Plastic Free July 2020

Can you Refuse’ Single-use Plastic?

As you know lots of electrical, electronic and metal items are packed in plastic and have a plastic cover or coating. When these items are recycled the plastic is removed and mainly reused in new products but what can be done about everyday plastic’s?

In July 2020 people all over the world are aiming to exclude plastic bottles, cutlery, fruit packing, coffee cup lids and other common plastic waste items from their daily life, opting instead for reusable containers or those made from biodegradable materials.  We think this is a great idea!

The vision started in Western Australia in 2011 and has since moved across the world to help promote and stop the earth becoming further saturated with plastic materials which are part of our convenience lifestyle.

Lots of items are designed to be used once and disposed of. They fill up bins in homes, work, schools and on streets across the world including Ireland with Irish town and city bins full to capacity most of the time.

Ireland and some other countries have made some progress with a tax on one-use plastic bags which reduced usage but problems still exist with millions of plastics bags, cutlery, bottles plates and cartons used daily.

This usage is rapidly increasing the amount of non-biodegradable product on the earth. These plastics may be cheap and convenient, but it’s having real consequences. Plastic is polluting our land, air, and oceans; it is harming our marine life and even invading our bodies with Microbeads everywhere.

Where to start – We have added 10 Tips to help

BRING YOUR OWN BAG: Get yourself a couple of good cloth bags and leave them in the car or beside the front door so you’ll always have them on hand.

DON’T BUY BOTTLED WATER: Get some reusable bottles and fit a cost-effective water filter to the taps in your home.

FRUIT CARTONS:  Avoid plastic fruit and vegetable packaging. A single plastic produce carton can take more than 1000 years to degrade so shop for unpackaged fruit and veg when you can or leave the plastic with the store.  They will get the idea!

DAILY COFFEE: Take away coffee cups are lined with plastic and often can’t be recycled. Take your own coffee cup or have a sit-down coffee using the cafe’s cups.

PACK A LUNCHBOX:  Use a good sturdy lunchbox with separate compartments, to allow you to pack food straight into separately, eliminating the need for plastic wrapping and avoid plastic-wrapped snack foods like biscuits or bars. Try making some at home, it cheaper and somewhat healthier.

PLASTIC FOOD WRAP: Buy some stainless steel or long plastic containers to help eliminate the need for single life plastic food wrapping.

STRAWS: If you really want a straw, buy reusable straws.

CUT PLASTIC CUTLERY: Plastic cutlery is another single-use plastic item you can avoid. Keep some reusable cutlery in your lunch or picnic bag.

SOURCE A SODA MAKER: This helps reduce the amount of plastic soft drinks bottles purchased, used and disposed of in your home and office weekly.

SHOP WISE: Ask your local shop and supermarket to make the change away from plastic or vote with your feet until they do. It will happen and think about all the waste which won’t enter your waste and the related time saved.

Plastic Free July 2020

Plastic Free July 2020 – what to do! 

Just join the challenge and ‘Choose To Refuse’ single-use plastic during July. You can assist in achieving the goals of having a world without plastic waste.  Will you join and give up? If so learn more, and sign up at www.plasticfreejuly.org

Did You Know?

Friends of the Earth are interested to have Plastic Deposit Return Scheme in Ireland. They say it is a tried and tested method of collecting plastic bottles in public places, in states across America and countries across Europe. People can return their used drinks containers in exchange for money at reverse vending machines. Just like we returned glass for coins in Ireland in the past we can do this for plastic and aluminium today.

In late 2019 our previous Climate Action and Environment Minister Richard Bruton said he would like to see a study before taking any action in Ireland.

At the same time, final regulations for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme have now been laid in the Scottish Parliament. It is now confirmed the scheme’s go-live date will be 1 July 2022, giving retailers and producers “time to prepare for a successful scheme

What’s Planned 

If you purchase drinks in Scotland will have to pay a (£) deposit on every bottle or drinks can purchase. This ambitious new scheme unveiled by the Scottish government aims to help reduce and recover items for reuse and safe recycling.

The deposit return scheme is due to be the first national scheme in the UK and will cover glass and plastic bottles, as well as aluminium and steel drinks cans, sold in Scotland.

The consumer will get their deposit back when they return the empty bottle or can to the retailer. The scheme will operate throughout Scotland, including rural areas.  All types of drinks and all containers above 50ml and up to three litres in size are included. What do you think about this initiative? Would Ireland benefit from similar?

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT is an award-winning not for profit enterprise providing a collection and drop off service for all types of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Last year Recycle IT offered to drop off and collection services to homes, schools, charities, and businesses across Dublin and surrounding areas collecting a range of WEEE which includes thousands of computers, cables, monitors, microwaves and TV’s.

Recycle IT services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland. Recycle IT are supported by Pobal, South Dublin County Council and authorized by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow.

COVID 19 – Lock Down Catch Up

The Irish Times published an article on Monday, June 22nd 2020 titled “Electrical waste recycling target unlikely to be met due to lockdown” You can read the newspaper article here.

In the piece, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Ireland chief executive Leo Donovan said, the State could struggle to meet the 65 per cent benchmark recycling target in 2020 (for electrical equipment). You can also listen to Leo Donovanon speak about the effects of COVID 19 on “Today with Sarah McInerney, just click here.

WEEE Ireland Logo

Recycle IT – We can help!

As an electrical recycler operating mainly in Dublin, Recycle IT share this sentiment. Recycle IT reopened in mid May 2020 after 2-month of closure resulting from the COVID 19 lockdown. We are delighted to say the majority of the team remained safe during this period and many are now back at work. Recycle IT are not operating at full capacity and we are playing catchup on electrical recycling collections from householders, schools, colleges, charities, community groups and small business but we are open and happy to help.

Our service is operating under the new safety guidelines which means fewer collection opportunities per day which has the effect of reducing electrical recycling rates. We have made alterations to our vehicles to allow two colleagues to travel safely together. Recycle IT also ensure staff get regular breaks and spend less time with customers while delivering collection and drop off services. (in the interest of safety).

Mixed Electrical Equipment – Recycle IT

As with most employers, we provide mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and have completed risk assessments for both collections and drop off services. Our teams have undertaken updated health and safety training which is reinforced at regular intervals. We hope this reassures potential recyclers to drop off or book a colleciton.

Recycle IT want to encourage individuals and organisations to recycle all there old electrical and electronic equipment. By recycling, you’re doing your bit to help the environment. You are preventing potentially hazardous waste from entering landfill and causing soil and water contamination. We equally remind people to social distance and maintain hand hygiene when recycling and after.

You can drop off at our facility in Clondalkin or give us a call and we can arrange a cost-effective personal collection. Collection from schools charities and community organisations remain free.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT, is an award-winning social enterprise offering electrical, electronic and metal recycling services through drop off and collection. Services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland and South Dublin County Council.

Recycle IT are supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Pobal and Dormant Accounts and authorised by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across in Leinster.

For more information on Recycle IT please call 01 4578321, email info@recycleit.ie or visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Recycle IT – Repak Award Winner 2019 – WEEE Champion

 

Recycle IT – Back to Work

We’re back at work!

Recycle IT are open but we are taking our time to reach full capacity. We are committed to taking the extra steps needed to help keep you and our team stay safe.

Things may be a little different for a while but our priority is making sure we’re looking after our recyclers, colleagues and partners.  Recycle IT will offer a drop-off and curtailed recycling collections over reduced hours for now.

We will provide induction training for all our colleagues and follow public health guidelines and advice as our team return.  We’re will be working in smaller teams and putting extra measures in place to help protect everyone, as we operate more recycling collections.

Reopening Ireland

Recycle IT are following the roadmap which sets out Ireland’s plan for lifting COVID-19 restrictions and will make adjustments if and when the roadmap changes.

We are using signage, masks and gloves, washing hands regularly and have a ready supply of hand sanitizer available. Our vans have been partitioned to allow our collection teams to travel safely to and from collection locations.

Covid 19 – Return To Work Guidelines – Recycle IT

We ask our customers to socially distance while recycling. Our teams  will happily collect disconnected electrical, electronic and pure metal equipment from a clear accessible locations.

As you know there will be a phased return to work for outdoor workers in areas such as construction, gardening and in our case electrical recycling. Social distancing rules will be applied to our recycling centre and collections teams for the foreseeable future. Our office team who are working from home or remotely are will continue to do so.

Recycle IT will remain focused on social distancing, respiratory hygiene and cleaning as we extend our recycling service back to normal levels over the coming month.

Mask and Gloves – Recycle IT

Employees and employers alike are all eager to return to normal, or at least a new normal. But the sense of urgency to restart our economy should not obscure our sense of duty to our families, friends and the communities we live in so please remain aware and vigilant.

About Recycle IT

Recycle IT, is an award-winning social enterprise offering electrical, electronic and metal recycling services through drop off and collection. Services are provided in partnership with WEEE Ireland and South Dublin County Council.

Recycle IT are supported by the Department of Rural and Community Development, Pobal and Dormant Accounts and authorised by the National Waste Collection Permit Office and the local authorities across in Leinster.

For more information on Recycle IT please call 01 4578321, email info@recycleit.ie or visit our website www.recycleit.ie

Van with Recycle IT Logo