Destroying hard drives

Why use a specialized structure?

Both in the process and in obtaining results, opting for professionals is a time saver. This allows you to be assured that your hard drives are being destroyed securely. But also reassure you that ethical rules with regard to nature are respected. Indeed, the component of a hard drive is polluting. Because of the heavy metals used in its manufacture, it is one of the computer wastes that can harm the health of all. That’s why it can’t be thrown in green trash cans. But should be subject to a particular process of recycling e-waste. In this, a specialized structure is the guarantee that nothing will be taken lightly. From recovery to destruction.

In fact, there are several possibilities and advantages:

  • Waste collection on dates agreed with the structure or one-off destruction;
  • The destruction certification materialized by a certificate awarded after each hard drive destruction service;
  • The secure and approved recycling of hard drives.

Depending on your location, you are able to find specialized platforms for the collection, recovery and recycling of electronic equipment, capable of looking after your hard drives. In fact, if you are in Quebec, you can use companies like Info Liquidation Recycle that also offer toll-free pickup services, as well as certificates of data destruction also at no cost.

In the collective consciousness, many believe that formatting a hard drive should be enough to stop reading the old data it contained. However, this perception is absolutely wrong. Despite the formatting, the remaining light residual magnetizations can allow the data to be replayed with specialized devices. That’s why it’s best to use professional services to clear and destroy your hard drives. Even more so if you are a company that seeks to protect confidential information. Especially since only physical destruction is able to guarantee a definitive elimination of your data. Here are three key concepts to consider when it comes to safe destruction of hard drives.

How does the destruction of hard drives work?

The best way to destroy hard drives and ensure the final elimination of your digital data is by physical destruction. For this purpose, specialized structures have professional equipment specially designed for the task. These are shredders and hard drive shredders. These machines are therefore designed to ensure that the data your hard drives contain can never be recovered or reconstructed. Thus, they do this by following two methods:

Shredding hard drives

In this case, your hard drives are reduced in small chips. The process involves completely destroying the trays, mechanisms and electronic components of your discs. As a result, the data in it becomes unrecoverable.

Grinding hard drives

This method involves punching an irreparable hole in every hard drive you want to destroy. This action is carried out by applying a pressure of at least 3,400 kg, on the trays and magnetic surfaces. This not only irreparably distorts them, but also systematically breaks and destroys them. As a result, data stored on hard drives cannot be accessed under any circumstances.

What are the different steps to the process of destroying hard drives?

To ensure the confidentiality of your data, specialized structures set up a process usually articulated in five (5) steps:

Storage of hard drives

This phase consists of depositing your hard drives in secure containers provided for this purpose. It takes place while waiting for the collection. Consider that such collection may be done on a regular basis or only on an ad hoc basis. It all depends on your needs.

Weighing, destroying and managing traceability

Before the hard drives are effectively destroyed, the team will weigh. Subsequently, the destruction device is activated.

At the end of this, you will certainly receive documents relating to the operation that has just taken place before your eyes. It will be precisely a certificate of destruction and a waste tracking slip.

Transportation to a recycling centre

Hard drive residues are then transported to a centre for recycling. They are therefore dumped directly into a pit provided for in this frame.

Recycling itself

After recycling, the material obtained from the chips of your hard drives becomes the basic substance that will be revalued. It will be transformed into other objects.

Other items that fail to be recycled are destined to undergo another phase of destruction.