Data Destruction & Compliance
When you decommission equipment, data security and regulatory compliance are not optional. This page explains exactly how we handle both — what we do, what documentation you receive, and what standards we work to.
Certificates of destruction issued for every job, on request
If you need a certificate of destruction for any storage devices included in your collection, just let us know when you submit your inventory or at any point before collection. There is no additional charge for this.
Data Destruction Standards
Storage devices — including hard drives, SSDs, NVMe drives, magnetic tapes, and embedded flash memory — are processed using methods aligned with NIST SP 800-88 guidelines for media sanitisation. Depending on the device type and your requirements, this means either secure overwrite (for drives that remain in service) or physical destruction (shredding or degaussing) for end-of-life assets. We do not rely on factory reset or quick-format procedures, which leave data recoverable.
- Overwrite to NIST SP 800-88 standard for reusable drives
- Physical shredding or degaussing for end-of-life storage
- Covers HDDs, SSDs, NVMe, magnetic tape, and embedded flash
- No reliance on factory reset or quick-format methods
Certificates of Destruction
A certificate of destruction is issued for every job that includes storage device processing, on request. Each certificate records the device make, model, and serial number, the destruction method applied, the date of processing, and the name of the operative responsible. This gives you a device-level audit trail you can retain for GDPR accountability obligations or internal compliance records.
- Issued per job on request — no additional charge
- Records device make, model, and serial number
- States destruction method, date, and responsible operative
- Suitable for GDPR accountability documentation
WEEE Compliance
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2013 place legal obligations on businesses that produce, handle, or dispose of electrical equipment. We operate as a registered WEEE handler, which means equipment collected by us is processed through an approved authorised treatment facility (AATF). You receive a WEEE transfer note for each collection, which you should retain as evidence of compliant disposal.
- Registered WEEE handler under the WEEE Regulations 2013
- Equipment processed through an approved authorised treatment facility
- WEEE transfer note issued for every collection
- Covers all categories of electrical and electronic equipment
Chain of Custody
We maintain a documented chain of custody from the point of collection to final processing. This includes a signed collection manifest at pickup, tracking of equipment through our facility, and records of how each item was processed or resold. If equipment is resold rather than recycled, it is only released to verified buyers after data destruction has been completed and documented.
- Signed collection manifest issued at point of pickup
- Internal tracking from receipt through to final disposition
- Data destruction completed before any resale of storage-bearing devices
- Records available on request for audit purposes
Environmental Commitment
Our preference is always to extend the working life of equipment through resale or refurbishment rather than recycling. Equipment that cannot be resold is broken down for component recovery and materials recycling through our AATF partner. We do not send equipment to landfill. We can provide a recycling report on request showing the breakdown of how your equipment was processed.
- Resale and refurbishment prioritised over recycling
- Non-resaleable equipment processed for component and materials recovery
- Zero landfill policy for all collected equipment
- Recycling report available on request
Questions about compliance?
Get in touch and we'll walk you through our documentation process before you commit to anything.