Best Practices For Recycling UH-Owned Ewaste

The increasing amount of electronic waste (ewaste) generated in the current digital age, along with environmental and human health impacts that Pile of ewaste can result from dumping or improper recycling of electronic equipment, is a major worldwide concern. Follow these best practices to insure that unwanted UH-owned ewaste is properly disposed of.

  1. Securely Delete Data – Security of information is a major concern with electronic equipment; even an office copy machine may contain data that should be safe guarded. Relying on the Delete function or Trash folder on a computer to erase data is not a safe practice; review the ITS AskUs article Securely Deleting Electronic Information for steps that can be taken to insure that data is sufficiently erased from a variety of devices.
  2. Check if others can use it – If the device is still usable after securely erasing it, issue an internal email or memo within the department to see if anyone has use for the unwanted equipment; if not, then advertise it as available on the UH Electronic Swap Meet, where surplus materials and equipment can be transferred between departments within UH. The Swap Meet also contains a section for listing of Wanted Items.
  3. Verify Inventory – Prior to disposal of ewaste, contact department Administrative Officers (AO) or Fiscal Officers (FO) who may be responsible for the inventory of equipment; verification of ownership via the serial number or State Decal number on the equipment may be required.
  4. Determine Best Disposal/Recycling Method – Always follow other established procedures for transfer or disposal of UH-owned equipment outlined in the AskUs article Disposal Guidelines for Unused UH Computer Equipment.

A United Nations report suggests that production of waste electrical and electronic equipment could rise by as much as 500% over the next decade. According to a Waste Electrical and Electronical Equipment (WEEE) forum, 2021 had a total of an estimated 57.4 million tonnes of ewaste. Following these best practices is a positive step in slowing the impact that the use of electronics and their recycling will have on Hawaii’s ecosystem.

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Article ID: 1455
Created: Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:46am
Modified: Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:57am