Remarket, recycle, or reuse? Choosing the best path for your government IT assets

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When it comes to disposing of end-of-use or outdated IT equipment, government agencies face a critical decision: remarket for value capture, recycle for simplicity, or reuse to extend asset life?

February 20, 20257 mins

All options contribute to security and sustainability, but they differ significantly in their approach and potential outcomes. The following benefits and considerations are provided to help inform your decision.

Remarket, recycle, or reuse your government IT assets?

Reselling retired IT assets to secondary markets for reuse.

Potential benefits:

Recoup a portion of the initial investment in IT equipment.
Lower overall IT spending and free up budget for critical upgrades.
Keep valuable technology in circulation, reducing the need for new production.

Considerations:

Requires thorough data sanitization to protect sensitive government information.
Resale values can vary depending on market demand and the condition of the equipment.
Choice of vendor matters. We are the world’s largest remarketer of IT hardware, with access to channels not available to all.

Disassembling and processing electronic waste to recover raw and reusable materials

Potential benefits:

Minimizes the environmental impact of e-waste by diverting it from landfills.
Recovers raw materials for reuse in new products.
Aligns with environmental regulations and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability.

Considerations:

Typically generates less or no cost recovery compared to remarketing.
Requires secure, compliant and auditable data destruction methods to prevent data breaches.

Refurbishment and redeployment of IT assets within your own organization offers a cost-effective alternative.

Potential benefits:

Older devices can be redeployed to less processing-intensive tasks, extending service life and reducing the need for new purchases
Hard drives, displays, and other components can be swapped from an inventory of compatible parts
Cycling assets avoids large sweeping IT refreshes

Considerations:

Even after refurbishment, older hardware may not perform as well as new equipment
Software incompatibilities issues can arise from older devices not able to run the latest updates
Requires thorough data sanitization to protect sensitive information from unauthorized users, even within the same organization

Choosing the right path - factors to consider:

Asset condition

High-quality, functional equipment with minimal wear and tear is more suitable for remarketing or reuse.

Department goals

Is it more important to maximize ROI or maximize asset lifespan?

Market demand

Market conditions can fluctuate for specific types of IT equipment.

Environmental regulations

Compliance with individual state e-waste laws and federal regulations can restrict recycling options.

Budgetary constraints

Evaluate the potential cost recovery generation from remarketing versus the costs associated with recycling.

Security

No matter what, security must be a priority. If your assets bear data, plan to sanitize or use a vendor that guarantees data sanitization.

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The Iron Mountain difference

A hybrid approach is often the optimal way to go. Partnering with Iron Mountain provides you with access to a team of experts who can guide you through the complexities of ITAD. With a long-standing commitment to data security and the world’s largest IT asset remarketing network, you can trust us to protect your sensitive information throughout the entire ITAD process while recovering some of your investment.