Electronics Recycling FAQ
& ITAD Reference Guide

Shredding is physical destruction — drives are reduced to small particles, making data recovery impossible. It is required for HIPAA-covered entities, DoD contractors, and classified data. Per NSA/CSS EPL requirements, shredded particles must meet specific size thresholds; shredded material is smelted with no drive returning to any supply chain.

Data wiping (media sanitization) overwrites all addressable storage locations using NIST SP 800-88 algorithms, rendering data unrecoverable while preserving the physical drive for reuse or resale. STS recommends wiping when asset recovery value is a priority, and shredding when regulatory compliance mandates physical destruction. Both methods produce a certificate of destruction documenting serial number, method, and date.

Yes. STS offers witnessed destruction services for clients requiring direct oversight — common for healthcare compliance officers, legal counsel, and financial institutions under SOX 404 or GLBA requirements. Witnessed events are documented with photographic evidence, timestamped logs, and client-signed chain-of-custody records.

On-site hard drive shredding is also available for organizations requiring destruction at their premises before transport. Call 844-699-2913 to arrange a witnessed or on-site destruction event.

STS Electronic Recycling enrolls every asset in a serial-level chain-of-custody system at the moment of pickup. Assets are inventoried, tagged, and tracked through intake, processing, and final disposition at our 600,000 sq ft R2v3 certified facility — no asset exits the documented chain without a corresponding destruction or disposition record. According to NAID AAA certification standards, verified unannounced audits confirm this chain-of-custody protocol is maintained continuously.

Clients receive a complete asset inventory report — make, model, serial number, and disposition method for every item — suitable for SOX audits, HIPAA breach risk assessments, and internal IT reconciliation.

STS Electronic Recycling holds three independently audited ITAD certifications: R2v3 (Responsible Recycling), the highest environmental standard for electronics recyclers; NAID AAA, the gold standard for certified data destruction verified through unannounced annual audits; and RIOS, an integrated management certification covering environmental, health, safety, and quality standards. STS is also an authorized BuyBoard and TIPS cooperative purchasing vendor, a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR), and holds BBB A+ accreditation.

• R2v3 (Responsible Recycling) — The highest environmental standard for electronics recyclers, requiring documented environmental controls, worker health standards, and downstream vendor accountability verified by unannounced audits.
• NAID AAA Certification — NAID AAA certified data destruction requires unannounced annual audits, employee background screening, and verified chain-of-custody procedures — the industry benchmark for secure disposal vendor selection.
• RIOS Certification — Integrated management system combining environmental, health, safety, and quality standards into a single audited framework.

Yes. Under HIPAA Security Rule 45 CFR §164.312, electronic PHI on disposed devices must be rendered irretrievable — STS provides HIPAA-compliant hard drive destruction meeting this standard for hospitals, health systems, and physician practices. STS executes a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) with all healthcare clients prior to service — a legal requirement for PHI-bearing device disposition.

Healthcare organizations receive NAID AAA certified destruction with serialized certificates for each PHI-bearing device, supporting HIPAA breach risk assessments and OCR audit responses. STS coordinates scheduled pickups with zero-disruption logistics tailored to clinical environments.

Yes. STS is an awarded vendor on both the BuyBoard and TIPS cooperative purchasing contracts, satisfying competitive bidding requirements for most state, county, and municipal agencies. Federal, state, and local government entities can engage STS directly without a separate RFP process.

Per OMB Circular A-123 asset management standards and FISMA requirements for federal data disposal, agencies must document chain-of-custody through final disposition — STS delivers serialized destruction certificates and environmental compliance reports formatted to meet these requirements.

STS follows a strict no-landfill policy — no material processed at our 600,000 sq ft facility is sent to a landfill. After data destruction, equipment is evaluated for its highest-value downstream path:

• Refurbishment & Resale — Functional equipment is tested, sanitized, and remarketed through certified secondary-market channels as part of STS's IT liquidation program, extending device lifespan and recovering value for clients.
• Component Harvesting — Devices not suitable for resale are disassembled and usable components are recovered for parts markets, reducing demand for new manufacturing.
• Responsible Material Recovery — Non-reusable materials are processed by R2v3 certified downstream vendors who recover metals, plastics, and other materials for industrial reuse — tracked and documented under R2v3 certification requirements.

According to the EPA, the United States generated approximately 2.7 million tons of e-waste in the most recently reported year — R2v3 certified processing diverts this material to responsible downstream processors rather than landfill. STS provides an environmental impact report per project documenting pounds diverted and CO₂ equivalent avoided for your ESG disclosures.

STS operates a strict no-landfill policy across all processed materials. As an R2v3 certified facility, STS is independently audited for compliance with all applicable EPA, state, and local environmental regulations — with every material stream, including hazardous components, tracked to certified downstream vendors.

STS provides ESG impact reporting for clients under CSRD, GRI, and CDP frameworks. Per EPA data, e-waste represents approximately 70% of the toxic heavy metals found in US landfills — including lead, mercury, and cadmium — making R2v3 certified IT disposal a material environmental compliance obligation for regulated organizations.

Yes — enterprise and large-organization ITAD is STS's primary focus. From Fortune 500 corporations and national retail chains to hospital systems, university districts, and federal agencies, STS manages complex multi-site IT asset disposition programs that smaller recyclers cannot support.

• Multi-Site Coordination — Single point of contact manages pickup scheduling across all locations with consolidated reporting and one unified destruction certificate package.
• Volume Scalability — Our 600,000 sq ft facility handles everything from a single server room decommission to enterprise-wide fleet refreshes involving thousands of assets simultaneously.
• Compliance Programs — Custom documentation packages built to your organization's specific audit requirements — HIPAA, SOX, GLBA, FERPA, FISMA, or internal policy standards.
• Cooperative Purchasing — Government agencies and educational institutions can engage STS directly through BuyBoard and TIPS contracts without a separate RFP or bid process.

Contact our enterprise team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 844-699-2913 to discuss a program tailored to your organization's scale and compliance requirements.

STS Electronic Recycling provides free electronics pickup in all 50 United States, operating from our 600,000 sq ft processing facility in Jacksonville, Texas. Same-week scheduling is available for most commercial quantities, serving enterprise clients, multi-site corporations, healthcare systems, government agencies, and universities nationwide.

For multi-location enterprises, STS coordinates consolidated logistics with a single point of contact, unified reporting, and one destruction certificate package. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 844-699-2913 for enterprise pickup program details.

Same-week scheduling is available for the majority of US locations for commercial quantities. For time-sensitive compliance deadlines — including fiscal year-end IT disposal, lease returns, and data center decommissioning — STS offers priority scheduling with guaranteed pickup windows.

Call 844-699-2913 directly for same-day coordination on urgent pickup requests. Our logistics team is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST.

STS follows a four-phase workflow ensuring complete compliance documentation at every stage:

• Consultation & Quote — An ITAD specialist assesses your equipment volume, compliance requirements, and data sensitivity to recommend destruction methods and generate a no-cost proposal within 2 hours.
• Scheduled Pickup — Logistics coordination and compliant transport with chain-of-custody documentation initiated at your location. Packaging guidance provided as needed for large-volume or multi-site projects.
• Processing & Destruction — Assets are inventoried, serialized, and processed at our 600,000 sq ft R2v3 certified facility using your specified destruction method under certified staff supervision.
• Documentation Delivery — Serialized certificates of destruction, complete asset reports, and environmental impact data delivered within your compliance timeline.

For most commercial clients disposing of qualifying IT equipment, STS provides complimentary pickup, processing, and basic asset reporting. Equipment with residual market value typically qualifies for no-cost or revenue-share arrangements — meaning many enterprise programs generate a net positive financial return rather than a disposal expense.

Fees may apply for specialty items, hazardous materials, or quantities below minimum thresholds. Secure data destruction, on-site shredding, and expedited scheduling are available at competitive rates. Contact us for a no-obligation quote — most enterprise programs are structured at zero net cost to the client.

Yes. STS's IT liquidation and electronic asset disposal programs assess residual market value for qualifying equipment and return revenue to clients. Laptops, servers, networking equipment, and mobile devices with remaining value are tested, graded, and remarketed through certified channels — often offsetting total program cost.

STS also administers employee device buyback programs, allowing staff to purchase recycled equipment at discounted rates as a workplace benefit. Use our What's It Worth tool for an instant equipment valuation.

STS Electronic Recycling provides four documentation deliverables after every engagement: a serialized certificate of destruction per asset (method, date/time, technician credentials), a complete asset inventory report (make, model, serial number, disposition method), an environmental impact report (pounds diverted, CO₂ avoided), and chain-of-custody documentation suitable for HIPAA, SOX, and GLBA audits.

• Certificate of Destruction — Serialized per asset, noting method, date/time, and technician credentials
• Asset Inventory Report — Complete itemization of make, model, serial number, and disposition method
• Environmental Impact Report — Pounds diverted, CO₂ avoided, and materials recovered for ESG reporting
• Chain-of-Custody Documentation — Continuous audit trail from pickup through final disposition

Learn more at our certificate of destruction services page.

STS's R2v3 certification requires independent, unannounced third-party audits of the entire operation — including downstream vendor verification. Certification records are publicly available through the Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) database at sustainableelectronics.org, where you can verify STS's active certification status at any time.

Beyond certification, STS provides project-specific environmental impact reports quantifying downstream material recovery data for your responsible electronics disposal event — going well beyond standard ITAD vendor documentation and supporting public sustainability disclosures under CSRD, GRI, and CDP frameworks.