The Top Benefits of IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) for the Environment

Responsible IT Asset Disposition delivers environmental benefits at multiple levels. The most fundamental is preventing hazardous materials — lead, cadmium, beryllium, brominated flame retardants, mercury — from entering landfills and contaminating soil and groundwater. Electronics are among the most hazardous items in the solid waste stream by concentration of toxic materials, and diverting them to certified recycling facilities is a direct environmental intervention.

Material recovery is the second environmental benefit. Electronics contain copper, gold, silver, palladium, aluminum, steel, and rare earth elements — all of which require energy-intensive mining to produce from primary sources. Recovering these materials from recycled electronics reduces demand for primary mining, with its associated habitat destruction, chemical use, and greenhouse gas emissions. STS Recycling's certified downstream partners include precious metal refiners who recover gold and silver at rates comparable to high-grade ore.

The third environmental benefit is extended device lifespan through refurbishment. Working computers, phones, and networking equipment that receive certified data wipes can be sold into the secondary market for reuse, avoiding the environmental cost of manufacturing a new device entirely. STS Recycling evaluates all incoming equipment for remarketing potential and prioritizes reuse over recycling wherever possible. This hierarchy — reuse first, then recycle — maximizes the environmental value of every ITAD engagement. Call 866-770-2650.