NAID Briefing

A Lesson for Electronics Recyclers

By heeding the lessons learned by office paper recyclers, e-recyclers will end up ahead of their competition.

During the 1980s, ecology fever swept the country. Municipalities across America initiated recycling programs. Many states began requiring deposits on recyclable beverage containers. And offices began recycling their paper.

Even back then, a few of us said, "Wait a minute. This paper has confidential information on it that needs to be protected." But, back then, the appeal of recycling overwhelmed any minor concern there might be over security.

But then, however slowly, with the help of the media and some key legislation, the security of the information on the office paper began to outweigh the environmental concerns. Not that security concerns and environmental concerns were mutually exclusive; as our industry has proven, they fit together quite nicely.

Over the last decade, information security has become the priority. Ten years ago, paper mills that use office paper reported that as little as 10 percent of what they bought was shredded. Those same mill buyers will now tell you that shredded paper has grown to 70, 80 or even 90 percent of what they receive. The office paper recycling industry has become the information security industry.

Today the electronics recycling industry finds itself in somewhat the same situation as the office paper recycling industry of 10 years ago. Most certainly, today’s business environment has required that electronics recyclers make some reference to information security. However, only a small number of these companies have made information security their primary mission. The primary mission for most is addressing the recycling and disposal issues of their clients.

If history repeats itself, this will change. It will change because the client will insist upon it. It will change because the client will become more aware. It will change because policy makers will be addressing it, and the media will cover it.

Another lesson of history is that the companies that got out in front of the information security issue first were the ones that most successfully capitalized on this inevitable evolution.

And, as the paper recycling industry already knows, NAID is more than ready, willing and able to serve all electronics recyclers that want to be counted among those who are serious about information destruction.