Electronics & batteries
Should I erase data before recycling electronics?
Yes. Remove personal, financial and business data before handing over phones, computers, tablets, storage devices or other data-bearing equipment.
Complete answer
The answer
A factory reset can be appropriate for many consumer devices, but sensitive business or regulated data may require stronger sanitisation procedures. Remove SIM cards, memory cards and external storage you intend to keep.
Data security is separate from material recycling: a responsible recycler can process the hardware, but you should still follow an appropriate data-erasure procedure before handover whenever possible.
What to do
- Back up required files.
- Sign out and erase the device appropriately.
- Remove removable storage and account locks.
Related WasteSpot resources
These links are optional follow-up resources. The complete answer is provided above.
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