Disposing Old ICT Equipment

Recycle

School computers have a relatively short life. In order to keep step with the evolving ICT technology and enable their pupils an access to the latest equipment, most schools replace their ICT equipment every three years. But besides providing the students with up-to-date ICT equipment, it is also highly important to dispose the old PCs and monitors properly. As non-household users of electronic equipment, schools are obliged to follow the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations but they are also obliged to protect their students’ and teachers’ privacy as directed by the Data Protection Act.

Useful Tips on How to Properly Dispose Old ICT Equipment

Knowing to which laws you have to comply as a school is of course highly important. But since both the WEEE and Data Protection Act can be found at the Department for Business Innovation & Skills website, we will not get into the details of two laws. Instead, we will go trough a few useful tips on how to dispose old ICT equipment safely in terms of both protecting the environment and children’s privacy:

Also an option is to ask the recycling company or charity if you will donate the equipment to destroy data for you. Some will do it free of charge but you should ask them to give you a written certificate that data has been effectively destroyed.