A Look Inside E-Structors Inc -- Destruction is the Best Solution for Obsolete Electronics

by Robert J. Rua

Electronics eventually become obsolete. It's inevitable. Today's cutting edge gadget is tomorrow's rubbish. When the time comes to swap out yesterday's technology with the latest and greatest hardware you might consider a variety of disposal methods. Some businesses, hospitals, universities, and other organizations donate their old hardware. Others sell to recyclers who de-manufacture the hardware and sell off its components. Still others, unfortunately, simply dispose of outdated equipment in the nearest dumpster.

All of these methods for dealing with old electronics either expose sensitive information to potential criminals or pollute the environment with toxins. In addition, they also leave the door open for potential litigation against you and your company. For instance, the software programs stored on your computer are covered by licensing agreements which make it illegal to donate or distribute them. If these programs are exposed to potential thievery or discovered in the wrong hands, the software manufacturer has the right, by law, to fine you or your company in excess of $100,000 per violation. That's right, the licensing agreements that so many of us perfunctorily scroll through (without actually reading) before clicking “I Accept,” are actually binding and can end up costing you a boatload of money.

When looking to get rid of old electronics you must be wary of the CERCLA Act (a.k.a. the Superfund Law) and other laws which aim at protecting the environment from the dumping of hazardous materials. Why? Because computers and handheld electronic devices (for example) are filled with toxic heavy metal components that can contaminate soil and groundwater with dangerous chemicals. A single PC can contain as many as 1,000 harmful toxins capable of causing birth defects, organ damage, and cancer. It has been estimated that nearly three quarters of the heavy metals found in landfills in the US today come from discarded electronic equipment.

Here's something else to consider: the serial numbers printed on electronic components can be used to trace them back to their purchaser. Violators who are caught improperly disposing of electronics in landfills and dumpsters can face tremendous fines.

You should also be aware of information privacy acts like FERPA and HIPAA, which have been enacted to discourage irresponsible information management. These laws make it your responsibility to safely discard any sensitive electronically stored information without exposing your customers, clients, students, etc. to identity theft and fraud. This sounds easy enough to do, but it is actually trickier than it appears.

Some erroneously believe that simply wiping the hard drive is enough to ensure stored information is destroyed. However, wiping methods, like unconditional formatting, are not foolproof. Hackers and dumpster divers can still extract sensitive information using special hardware and software. It's not necessarily easy to do, but it can be accomplished and shouldn't be discredited because it does happen.

Others try to use magnets to erase stored data, but that doesn't always get the job done either. Results can be sketchy. Today's high density media is thick and requires a very strong magnet to get results. But even with a strong magnet, the method is not foolproof.

The only way to ensure that you have permanently destroyed the sensitive data stored in your electronic devices is physical destruction. To be more specific: complete physical destruction. Drilling a few holes through your hard drive casing or taking a baseball bat to your motherboard are not effective methods for permanently destroying electronic data. A dedicated, experienced, well-equipped data thief can still, potentially, fish sensitive information out of hastily mangled electronic components. To ensure your stored information won't be stolen and you won't ever be subjected to litigation you need to reduce your electronics to tiny bits of rubble – It's a job best left to professionals.

That's where E-Structors Inc. comes in.

The E-Structors Inc. Mission Statement
Mike Keough is the president and owner of Integrated Waste Analysts, a Maryland-based company that specializes in developing and managing environmental programs for businesses and other organizations located nationwide. When many of his clients expressed their desire for a secure, affordable, and effective way of disposing of their obsolete IT assets, Keough began considering potential solutions. After some independent investigation and consultation with several waste handling companies, Keough decided the answer was to develop a mechanized electronics destruction system derived from existing shredding technologies that was capable of recycling 100% of the materials rendered from the destruction process. In the fall of 2003, E-Structors Inc. was born.

E-Structors' mission is to eliminate improper disposal of electronics and sensitive data. “We consider improper disposal of electronics a global problem,” says Keough. “Only about 10% of discarded computers get recycled in the US . Much of the remaining percentage ends up overseas, in developing countries where it often gets put in landfills. Our company addresses this problem by ensuring that nothing from our process enters the US waste stream. Everything gets recycled so we can ensure total environmental compliance to our customers, and, of course, total security.”

Many electronics recycling companies de-manufacture hardware to remove their valuable components. What separates E-Structors, says Keough, is that the company destroys and recycles 100% of the electronics they receive.

The E-Structors commitment to information safety and environmental stewardship is total. In 2004, E-Structors added full document destruction services, making it the first full service shred company in the country. The company now boasts the capability of full service destruction for its clients, from old PCs to outdated files.

The E-Structors Inc. Electronics Destruction and Recycling Process
E-Structors uses a state of the art shredding and segregation system that renders electronic devices into pieces an inch and a half or smaller – much too small for data to be retrieved. For example, the destruction of a PC begins with a pre-processing stage, in which the case, plastics, and batteries are removed. Workers clip the power cords and other cables. Then they record all serial numbers to keep track of what will be destroyed for future reference.

Once the serial numbers are recorded and extraneous materials have been removed, the remainder goes through a high torque shredder that chews the material into pieces small enough to pass through a separation screen. Next, a conveyor belt moves the rendered material – aluminum, stainless steel, and a combination of non-metallic debris, gold, and small plastics called “e-scrap blend” – under a cross-belt magnet that attracts and removes the ferrous metals. The extracted ferrous metals are then placed in containers to await the next phase in the process.

The e-scrap blend that remains is conveyed to a separating machine called an “eddy-current system” which consists of rare-earth magnets that extract the non-ferrous material from the plastics. Eventually all of the materials are sorted into segregated recycling containers. At the end of the process, the aluminum is collected by smelters to be melted down and reused, and the e-scrap blend goes to smelters who recover precious metals from the melt.

Keough says all of the electronics that arrive at the E-Structors processing facility are destroyed within 24 hours of receipt. “Simply put,” Keough explains, “timely destruction means security. Our facility has no storage capacity. We don't leave materials hanging around.”

Demystifying the Process
E-Structors collects materials directly from its clients by request. Clients may also transport their own materials to the E-Structors plant if they wish. “Each client is different,” explains Keough. “We tailor our service to suit the client's needs. If they need us to extract the materials and transport them to our facility, we do it. If they want to transport their own materials, we make arrangements for that as well. In this business, you must be able to adapt.”

Keough says the destruction process is open to any client. “They can come to our facility and witness the destruction process if they want.” This open-door policy, Keough says, bolsters many a client's piece of mind. “Once they've seen our process,” he explains, “their fears are alleviated.”

Destruction is the Answer
The Superfund Law, established in 1980, places equal liability on businesses that expose the populace to toxic waste (ex. the heavy metals found in PCs) by improperly discarding electronics and the recyclers that processes their waste material. For that reason, says Keough, organizations looking to dispose of sensitive waste should hire firms with a total destruction and recycling process like that of E-Structors. “The material has to be utterly destroyed,” Keough explains, “otherwise the potential exists for serious litigation against both the business and recyclers like us.”

There is no substitute, says Keough, for total destruction of electronic materials. De-manufacturing, though prevalent, leaves too many doors open. “Many de-manufacturers do a very good job. But there is always an element of uncertainty when you don't destroy the material,” explains Keough. “Why leave any uncertainty?”

Businesses all over the country are catching on to the destruction trend. Keough says the market for businesses like E-Structors is growing. “The public is becoming educated on the laws and proper disposal of sensitive materials,” says Keough. “Businesses who have investigated their electronics disposal options know better. They know the best thing to do is to destroy them.”