What happens to IT assets during the ITAD process?

IT assets move through a documented sequence of collection, inventory, data destruction, value recovery, recycling, and reporting. Each device is tracked by serial number through a chain of custody at every hand-off, from the moment it is picked up through its final disposition, whether that is reuse, resale, donation, or material recovery.

The process begins when certified technicians collect devices using sealed, tamper-evident containers. At intake, every asset is logged by make, model, serial number, diagnostics, functional testing, physical condition, and asset tag or location when applicable. Data-bearing devices then follow one of two paths: certified erasure uses licensed software to wipe devices to NIST (IEEE) and DoD standards, keeping functional devices intact so they can be refurbished, reused, remarketed, or donated. Devices that fail erasure have their media removed and moved to certified shred, which physically destroys them to NAID AAA standards. Physical destruction is the standard path for non-functioning equipment or assets with no reuse value. After data destruction, materials enter e-waste processing, which can recover steel, aluminium, palladium, copper, circuit boards, plastics, precious metals, and critical and rare earth materials. Throughout the process, chain-of-custody documents every handoff, and the final documentation package includes certificates of erasure or destruction, detailed asset reports, and audit-ready compliance records. Greentec offers both onsite white glove services and offsite facility-based processing depending on volume, security requirements, and value recovery goals.