Disposing of old IT equipment without a data breach
Every old laptop in the store cupboard holds data your business is still responsible for. Here’s how to retire IT equipment safely and compliantly.
· 2 min read · By the WEEE Want Your Waste team
The short version
- Under UK GDPR, your business is responsible for personal data on old devices until it is destroyed.
- Old IT is also WEEE, so it must go to an authorised recycler, never into general waste.
- Keep an asset list and the waste paperwork for every batch that leaves the building.
Two sets of rules at once
Retiring IT equipment means meeting two obligations at the same time. The WEEE Regulations and your duty of care cover the hardware: it has to be recycled through an authorised route. UK GDPR covers the data: you must protect it until it can no longer be recovered. Getting one right and not the other still leaves you exposed.
What holds data?
- Laptops, desktops and servers (hard drives and SSDs)
- Phones and tablets
- Multifunction printers and photocopiers, many of which have internal hard drives
- USB sticks, external drives and backup tapes
- Network equipment, which can store configuration and passwords
A simple process for every batch
- List each device with its serial or asset number.
- Wipe drives with suitable data-erasure software, or remove them and destroy them physically.
- Store the equipment securely until collection day.
- Hand it to a registered waste carrier and keep the waste transfer note with your asset list.
Our IT equipment recycling service collects anything from a few laptops to a full office clear-out. Old screens can go on the same collection. Read our guide to WEEE regulations for the wider rules.
Common questions
Do we need to wipe laptops before you collect them?
We recommend wiping or removing drives before collection so data never leaves your control. Talk to us if you need help with secure handling.
Can you collect from an office on an upper floor?
Our standard collection is from the ground floor or a loading bay. Call us about access before you book and we’ll tell you what we can do.
