Quick answer
To prepare for an office e-waste pick up: 1) list what you have, 2) decide how to handle the data on every drive, 3) remove devices from your accounts and systems, 4) separate items recyclers can’t take, 5) group everything in one easy-to-reach spot, and 6) confirm costs and the pick-up time in advance.
An office cleanout is the perfect time to get rid of old electronics, whether it’s an upgrade, a move, or finally tackling the storage closet. Use this checklist to make the pick up fast, secure and as close to free as possible.
1. Make a quick inventory
You don’t need serial numbers (unless your IT policy requires them). Rough counts are enough:
- Desktops / towers: ___
- Laptops: ___
- Flat-screen monitors: ___
- CRT monitors or TVs: ___ (fees apply)
- Servers / networking gear / UPS units: ___
- Printers / copiers / scanners: ___
- Phones and phone systems: ___
- Boxes of cables, keyboards and mice: ___
Send this list when you request a pick up. It lets us confirm any costs before we come. (How pricing works.)
2. Decide what happens to the data
This is the most important step. For every device with storage (computers, laptops, servers, copiers with internal drives, phones and external drives), choose:
- Reuse or donate it: wipe it properly and verify the wipe
- Retire it: request physical hard drive destruction
Remember that reformatting doesn’t erase data. (Destruction vs. wiping, explained.) If you need documentation for your records or an auditor, ask for a Letter of Responsibility for Destruction. (What is a letter of destruction?)
3. Disconnect devices from your accounts and systems
- Sign out of and remove devices from cloud accounts and device-management tools
- Mark equipment as retired in your asset list
- Cancel service or leasing contracts on copiers and phone systems, and check whether leased equipment must be returned instead
4. Separate what can’t be recycled with e-waste
Set aside items that need another disposal route: ink and toner cartridges, appliances, light bulbs, batteries that leak, liquids and anything hazardous. See our full accepted and not-accepted list.
5. Stage everything in one place
- Choose a room, hallway or area near an exit or loading dock
- Stack items safely. Don’t block fire exits
- Coil cables and put small items in boxes
- Label anything that should not go
6. Confirm the details
Before pick-up day, confirm:
- Date and time window
- Building access, parking and loading instructions
- The contact person on site
- Any fees (TVs, CRTs, hard drive shredding)
Printable summary
- Inventory done and sent
- Data plan decided for every drive
- Devices removed from accounts and asset systems
- Non-accepted items set aside
- Equipment staged near an exit
- Pick-up time, access and costs confirmed
Planning a cleanout in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester or Delaware County, or Trenton or Mount Holly, NJ? Schedule a pick up and we’ll reply within 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How long does an office e-waste pick up take?
It depends on the amount and access. Grouping everything near an exit or loading area makes it much faster.
Do I need to be there during the pick up?
Someone should be available to give access and confirm what’s going, especially if hard drives are being destroyed and you want documentation.
Should I remove the hard drives myself?
You don’t have to. You can leave drives in and request hard drive destruction, or tell us if they’ve already been removed or wiped.
What if we're moving offices?
Schedule the pick up before move day. It’s one less thing to pack, and you won’t pay to move equipment you’re getting rid of.
Sources
- Electronics Donation and Recycling, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Written by The E-Waste Haul Away Team
We pick up unwanted computers and electronics from businesses and schools across Greater Philadelphia and make sure they're recycled responsibly through R2-certified partners, with secure handling for anything that holds data. About us
