San Diego E-Waste Recycling Guide
If your organization is retiring laptops, desktops, servers, phones, or networking equipment, e-waste recycling is not just an environmental decision, it’s a security and compliance decision. This guide outlines how to recycle electronics in San Diego while reducing risk for data-bearing devices.
1) Identify What You’re Retiring
Start with an inventory. Even a simple spreadsheet (asset type, quantity, location, and whether it contains storage media) improves chain-of-custody and documentation later.
- Computers and laptops
- Servers and data center equipment
- Monitors and peripherals
- Phones and tablets
- Networking gear (routers, switches, firewalls)
- Storage media (HDDs, SSDs, tapes, removable media)
2) Treat Data-Bearing Devices as a Security Project
Any device with storage should follow a secure workflow: chain of custody, controlled access, and a documented destruction or sanitization method. A “wipe” is only meaningful if it’s validated and consistently applied.
If you have compliance requirements (healthcare, finance, government, legal), align device handling with your internal policies and documentation requirements.
3) Decide Between Wiping and Physical Destruction
The right method depends on your risk level, reuse needs, and compliance requirements. Many organizations use a mixed approach: sanitize some assets for remarketing and physically destroy sensitive media.
- Sanitization (wiping): Useful when assets will be reused or resold and wiping is validated.
- Physical destruction: Best for high-risk media where reuse isn’t required.
4) Plan Pickup and Logistics
For businesses, pickup reduces time and keeps the workflow consistent. Make sure pickup includes labeling, secure transport, and inventory capture when required.
Use this checklist before pickup: E-Waste Pickup Checklist.
5) Request Documentation
Confirm what reporting you’ll receive after service. Documentation is what turns a disposal activity into a defensible compliance record.
- Certificate of destruction (when applicable)
- Asset inventory reporting
- Chain-of-custody details
- Compliance reporting (as applicable)
Next Steps
If you want help designing a secure retirement workflow for IT assets, start with these pages: