How your surplus technology can help close the digital divide

Businesses like yours regularly upgrade technology to improve productivity and keep up with the competition. Then you face a question: What do you do with all those computers, tablets and other electronic devices that you’ve just unplugged?

Provided photo

Jessica Perez, Maine Connectivity Authority

At moments like these, surplus technology can seem like a real headache. It’s full of sensitive business data and can’t go into the general waste stream. The equipment is too valuable — and environmentally damaging — to just throw away.

Fortunately, your unneeded equipment can have a second life and help close Maine’s digital divide when you take the right approach to recycling surplus technology.

Recognize the potential value of your unused and underused devices

The first step in addressing your storeroom full of surplus devices is understanding that the equipment can be a resource for Maine people struggling to get online. Thousands of individuals statewide can’t afford internet-enabled devices and face other barriers to getting onto the internet. Three in 10 low-income households in Maine (29%) can’t obtain the devices they need, according to a survey by the Maine Connectivity Authority, a nonprofit working to improve internet access statewide.

For many people, an affordable device could prove life changing, especially at this moment when Maine is investing more than $400 million in state and federal funds to connect 100,000 homes and businesses to the internet. With a device to complete the connection, veterans and elderly people can access services and medical appointments online. People with disabilities, low-income families and rural residents can work remotely and attend classes online.

Maine’s economy grows stronger and our communities more vibrant when people have access to the devices they need. To help connect people who have excess technology with those who need devices, MCA has launched an awareness campaign, Maine Tech Share. The goal is to refurbish 25,000 electronic devices for Maine people who are struggling to get online.

Ensure your retired tech remains secure

Making sure data remains confidential is both a business priority and legal obligation. Computers often contain proprietary data, medical information, transaction records and other sensitive material. You need to know who has custody of your surplus computers at all times and that all the information they contain — both hard drives and hidden data — is destroyed properly, with professional oversight and in compliance with legal requirements.

Laws such as HIPPA, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, and many other federal and state statutes create legal liability for those who mishandle confidential data. Companies also face substantial risk to their reputation and market position when sensitive information falls into the wrong hands.

The right partner can help. One such organization is the Waterville nonprofit Give.IT Get.IT, which is dedicated to making computers and digital training available to everyone. It has more than 20 years’ experience in making it easy for businesses to dispose of their equipment while keeping their information safe. The organization collects surplus devices directly from its partners, using secure containers that are tracked via GPS. The organization then identifies where all the data is hidden on those devices so that the data can be destroyed securely and comprehensively using industry best practices.

Dispose of unneeded devices sustainably

The environmental risk posed by e-waste — and laws related to the disposal of computers — also are real concerns you need to consider when disposing of surplus equipment. About 9 million pounds of electronics are sold every year in Maine, but only 20% of that total is recycled. The rest is either sold as scrap or destined for the landfill, where this waste poses a significant environmental risk.

Careless disposal of e-waste violates Maine law, which requires many types of electronics to be recycled or disposed of properly. Here too, an organization like Give.IT Get.IT can help you comply with your legal obligations. The group maintains a recycling facility licensed by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and a universal storage facility registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Put your surplus technology back to work

Don’t think of those unplugged computers and tablets as just clutter in a closet — think of them as tools that can transform lives. With a trusted partner, you can make sure your retired devices are wiped clean, handled securely, and either reused or recycled in the right way. You’ll be protecting your company’s data, staying on the right side of the law, helping the environment and giving Maine residents the tools they need to connect, learn and thrive.

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