NEENAH, Wis. (WFRV)- A Fox Valley business is making sure used or unwanted electronic devices do not end up at the landfills or in the waste stream and instead try to find them a new home.
ITAD Logic President Joe Terrien explained firsthand the importance of electronics recycling.
“The number one form of waste right now is electronics over any kind of waste and we need more and more certified companies to make sure that everything is going to the right place.”
ITAD Logic in Neenah is a company that specializes in the disposal of electronic devices. People who want to donate their electronics schedule a pickup and the cost is determined by the weight and type of electronics.
Once the devices have arrived at their warehouse, they are first weighed and documented. Next, they sort by type and whether or not it has data. If the device has data, they wipe it and give the customer the choice to have the hard drive shredded. Finally, the company researches whether or not there is a need for the product. If there is, they remarket and if not, they remove the battery and send the rest to another company to be sold as a commodity.
“Reuse is our first priority because to us that’s the ultimate form of recycling is getting it back into customers hands,” explains Terrien. “So we look to see if there’s a need for that and there’s a demand for that and if there is, we test it and then remarket it.”
Terrien says that in a given year, the company receives and prevents one million pounds of electronics from heading to the landfill. Of that number, thirty-three percent are re-sold back into public usage.
The company holds two important certifications that signify that ITAD Logic operates sustainably. They were admitted into the Wisconsin DNR’s list of Green Tier Legacy companies back in 2013, which recognizes companies and businesses for sustainable environmental performance.
Since the company is handling data, ITAD Logic owns a specific accreditation that certifies that all devices containing data are handled and wiped properly.
“Part of the R2 certification that we have, that’s an industry-specific certification,” says Terrien. “We get audited twice a year to make sure all of our systems are the way we say they are and they go through and check our records to make sure this data is being handled properly.”
The company can also validate in their records when the data was wiped and through what method. The company asks that electronic devices not be dropped off at their location and instead customers schedule a pick-up on their website.
