Even though most business owners will only think of recycling when it comes to paper, metal, or even glass, the fact is, in a medical lab, many of the items you use every day can be recycled. From the glass beakers to the plastic tubes you use to perform various tasks, pretty much all of the stuff you rely on to function as a laboratory can be recycled, right down to the electronics that you have around the facility. When computers, printers, and other electronic equipment must be replaced at your place of business, you may just assume it should be thrown away. However, there are two really good reasons you should always trust a recycling center with your medical lab's electronic waste:
Electronic waste in your medical lab can hold private information that must be handled with care.
In a medical lab, you probably handle sensitive data every day that is somehow related to patients, whether it is detailed blood work results or other medical and personal information. This data gets stored on hard drives or computer systems and must be handled with care so it is not inadvertently given to the public. Because of this, simply tossing electronic waste in the trash is not an option. If information on a system falls into the wrong hands, you could be held liable.
When you choose to have your electronic waste recycled, the sensitive data on these systems will be rightfully erased. This is accomplished by erasing hard drives before dismemberment and destroying files that may be held on discs and other media.
Electronic waste is a huge problem for the environment and may be regulated.
Did you know that in some places, you could be fined if you are caught throwing electronic waste into the trash with your other items? Because e-waste is such a problem globally and a huge factor in pollution, some locations do have regulations in place that prohibit business owners and residents from tossing electronics like they would their regular trash.
To avoid being slapped with an unexpected fine at your medical facility, it is crucial to know the local regulations and look for an electronic waste center that can help you get rid of your items your lab needs to eliminate. A company like iGlobal Services Inc. will be able to advise you on the proper way to throw your electronics away. Pretty much all lab and business recycling centers will take electronics just the same as they would the other things you need to recycle.
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