After collection, old computers are weighed and documented, their hard drives are physically destroyed, and the machines are dismantled and sorted into metals, plastics and circuit boards. These materials then go through crushing, chemical treatment, grinding and separation so valuable materials are recovered, and the company receives a recycling certificate.
Many companies keep old PCs in storerooms because they are unsure what happens after disposal. Here is what a certified recycling process looks like at EERC.
1. Collection and weighing
Computers are collected from your offices or branches and weighed so every collection is documented from the start.
2. Data destruction
Before anything else, hard drives and SSDs are physically destroyed so no company or customer data can ever be recovered. This can be done at your premises if required.
3. Disassembly and sorting
Each machine is dismantled by hand. Components are sorted by material type: metal casings, plastics, cables, power supplies and circuit boards.
4. Processing and recovery
The sorted materials go through the rest of the process:
- Crushing
- First chemical treatment
- Grinding and separation
- Second chemical treatment
This recovers valuable materials such as copper and keeps hazardous substances out of landfills and uncontrolled burning.
5. Certification
Your company receives weighing records, a certificate of data destruction and a recycling certificate confirming responsible disposal.
Why it matters
Recycling instead of storing or reselling old computers closes data-security risks, frees space and gives you documentation for audits and ESG reporting.