In Beverly Hills… they don’t throw their garbage away. They make it into television shows. ~Woody Allen
Do you know what the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) is? If you’re in IT and responsible for disposal, you should! ( read about it here) This is the EPA regulation that contains information regarding the disposal of electronic equipment, including computers and computer equipment.
Take a moment and think about what happens to equipment at the end of its life in your organization. Does it get donated to a charitable organization? Does it go back to a lessor? Do you have a disposition vendor? What is a disposition vendor?
A disposition vendor is company that will take your old equipment and resell useful items, recycle valuable materials from items no longer useful, and properly dispose of any remaining parts. With a good disposition company in your corner, you will help your organization by complying with the RCRA, which would be another cost avoidance. The other benefit to having a good disposition company is that some of the equipment could be resold, which may result in money back from the disposition company. In this case, IT has not only saved money, it has reclaimed some of what was already spent!
Some things to think about when looking for a disposition vendor: Do they resell useful equipment? Do they recycle? Do they allow unannounced inspections of their facility? (Yes, you should go inspect your vendor after they’ve picked up some of your equipment to verify they are performing the services promised!) Do you receive a certificate of disposal that identifies the equipment sent? Choosing a good disposition vendor can be a great benefit to your ITAM program!
