In this article
What is a Data Destruction Certificate?
A data destruction certificate details the recycling of equipment and destruction of data and is issued by your e-waste recycling provider. The certificate serves as evidence that your business has complied with all GDPR regulations and privacy laws. It confirms that the necessary steps have been taken to prevent the leakage or misuse of private company records. In the UK, obtaining a data destruction certificate is a legal requirement to ensure the full and permanent destruction of data.
What about enhanced data destruction certificates?
Many IT recycling companies offer an enhanced certificate, which provides end-to-end asset tracking and individually certified destruction of each device and/or drive. The enhanced certificate should contain the following detail:
Details of destroyed devices
Serial numbers or asset tags for each device.
Type of media destroyed (e.g., hard drives, SSDs, tapes).
Destruction method used
Method of destruction.
Specifics of the method used (e.g., number of overwrite passes, software used).
Time and location of destruction
The date and place where the data destruction occurred.
Certification of compliance
An assurance that the data destruction process complies with relevant laws and standards, such as GDPR.
Other information that may be present
A unique report number, certificate number, or digital identifier.
Name of the individual or company that performed the data destruction.
Signature of the official that verified the disposal process.
Zero Tech Waste ensures this process is completed and the certificate is issued within 48 hours of the collection or drop off.
This certificate serves as evidence that your business has complied with all GDPR regulations and privacy laws. It confirms that the necessary steps have been taken to prevent the leakage or misuse of private company records.
Zero Tech Waste guarantees the safe and compliant destruction of your data at all points of our process by:
- Having DBS checked staff
- Tracking our vehicles
- Not using 3rd parties to transport or process equipment
- Operating from a secure alarmed site with 24 hour CCTV
- Using approved methods of data destruction (Cryptographic erasure, shredding, or degaussing) and adhering to NIST SP 800-88 guidelines.
Remember, in the UK, obtaining a data destruction certificate is a requirement to ensure the full and permanent destruction of data.
Waste Transfer Notes
A Waste Transfer Note, also known as a duty of care note, is a document that proves the legal transfer of non-hazardous waste when it is removed from your premises. These notes are legally required when transferring waste. They should be stored to ensure a clear audit trail of your e-waste and will demonstrate your commitment to responsible waste management.
This is typically the first document you will receive with each collection or drop off when using IT recycling services. Your IT waste partner will complete the document and transfer it to you on collection. Transfer notes should contain the following detail:
- Your organisation’s address details and the address of where the waste will be collected from in case different.
- The IT waste recycling companies address details
- A description of the waste being transferred, including any waste codes as issued by the Government.
- A description of how the waste is contained prior to and during collection
- The volume of waste being transferred
- It is signed by both parties.
Your local council or the Environment Agency may ask you to provide evidence of your Waste Transfer Note. For this reason, you should keep it safely stored for a minimum of at least 2 years.
What is a Carbon offset certificate?
A carbon offset certificate is a tradable certificate or credit representing the reduction of one metric tonne of carbon dioxide (or equivalent amount of other greenhouse gases) from the atmosphere, often used to compensate for emissions from IT waste management and disposal.
Carbon offsetting supports sustainability by allowing individuals and organisations to compensate for their unavoidable emissions by funding projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, contributing to a net-zero future.
A carbon offset certificate demonstrates how much carbon is offset by your recycling provider when you recycle your redundant IT equipment. At Zero Tech Waste we provide all the necessary certificates to keep you compliant digitally:
- Waste Transfer Notes are issues on collection
- Data Destruction Certificates are issued within 48hrs.
- We’re also very proud to be one of the few IT waste recycling companies that issues Carbon offset certificates as standard.
We calculate the carbon emissions produced during the collection, data destruction, and recycling process for your materials. Our operations work on a ratio of 2:1, which means we offset twice the amount of carbon emitted across the entire process. We achieve this by supporting UK-based tree planting initiatives, who selectively plant native trees at managed sites.
Find out more about our carbon-negative business.
Banner photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
IT recycling advice for businesses
Read the latest posts offering helpful information to UK businesses on what to do with obsolete IT equipment.
-
Understanding data destruction certificates
When decommissioning or destroying IT assets such as servers, hard drives, or other data-bearing devices it’s important…
-
Everything you need to know about the WEEE Directive
The WEEE Directive addresses the growing problem of electronic waste by promoting recycling, reuse, and the recovery…
-
The circular economy and electronic waste recycling
A circular economy is a system that prioritises the reuse of materials or products over other forms…