Green Star of Interior Alaska proudly processes electronics recycling items from the FNSB Central Recycling Facility, from Rural Backhaul shipments, and from responsible parties who drop off electronics directly to Green Star when they live or work outside of FNSB.
Many of these items are still functional — they have simply become obsolete, or they are in need of repair, and thus they have the potential to be reused. Green Star sells used electronics we receive that are still in good shape, and with the help of volunteers, we refurbish computers and laptops and provide them to Fairbanksans in need.
People use electronic gadgets like computers, phones, and tablets to keep track of all kinds of information. As a result, recycling these items can feel a little like handing over a personal diary, family photo album, or financial records dossier unless care is taken.
Recycling electronics properly is more secure than simply throwing them away as trash. In a dumpster, anyone could acquire your device, and potentially take advantage of whatever data that was left lingering on it if not wiped properly.
There are many ways to get rid of data on a device so that it can be securely recycled or reused. Green Star takes care to either digitally wipe devices we receive of their data using a Department of Defense standard of erasure using a Standalone Drive Eraser device, or we physically dismantle their components such that their data can no longer be accessed.
This post aims to demystify the mechanics behind data security.
…But First, What Even Is Data? How Is Data Stored?
Computers
Desktop and laptop computers store data in what is called a “non-volatile” memory storage device (memory that is permanent and does not disappear when the computer is not connected to power). Often we simply refer to a computer’s ‘hard drive,’ although there are a variety of forms of non-volatile memory storage devices. Most commonly, today’s computers are equipped with hard disk drives or solid state drives for permanent data storage.
Hard Disk Drives
Actual hard drives (AKA hard disk drives (HDD)) are mechanical devices inside a computer that store computer memory by magnetizing tiny sections on the surface of rotating disks that have a magnetic coating.
The internal components of a hard disk drive.
Hard disk drives (HDD’s) store computer memory physically via a read/write arm and spinning disks (called the “platter”). At the end of the read/write arm, the read/write head contains an electromagnet and the disks are coated with a magnetic material. The read/write arm stores data by magnetizing tiny regions on the spinning disks, like an electromagnetic record player. The “0’s and 1’s” of computer binary code correspond to the imprinted patterns of north and south (or positive and negative) magnetic charge “written” on the disks.
When a file is “deleted” on a computer with a SSD or HDD, the computer operating system removes the “pointer” that tells where the file begins and ends on the disk, allowing permission to use the space that file is taking up to overwrite new data. In this way, the space on the hard drive is designated as “empty” in its file system, but the physical data – the magnetically charged region on the device – remains unchanged until new data is written over it.
The hard disk controller enables a computer to interpret the data stored on a hard drive disk.
On the back of the hard drive, there is a circuit board called the hard disk controller. This board interfaces with the rest of the computer to interpret tasks and commands, and for the computer to read and write data stored on the drive. Without the hard disk controller, the data written to the disks cannot be read.
Green Star removes the hard disk controller circuit board from the hard drives we receive, rendering the data on the disks inaccessible.
Hard disk drives that have had their hard disk controller circuit board removed.
Solid State Drives
Solid state drives (SSDs including m.2 drives) are a newer type of non-volatile memory storage that utilizes flash memory that have become common in today’s computers, especially in laptops (as well as USB drives, smartphones, and increasingly desktop and server computers).
The internal components of a solid state drive (SSD).
Solid state drives do not have any mechanical moving parts or disks. Instead, they consist of microchips affixed to a circuit board, and they operate completely electronically. Inside the microchips are hundreds of tiny layers of thousands of rows and columns of series of transistors.
On the left, an open solid state drive (SSD), and on the right an opened hard disk drive (HDD). They are both contained within a 2.5” form factor case for compatibility.
Instead of writing positive and negative magnetic charges to a disk like a hard disk drive, solid state drives store data in these gated memory cells as stored electrons. If a cell is “empty” (no charge), it is read as a “1.” If the cell has been charged and contains stored electrons, then it is read as a “0.” In this way, a series of electrical ‘switches’ make up the data that is stored.
When data is erased on a solid state drive, a voltage high enough to release the stored electrons from the gated transistors wipes away the electrical charge. This means that the data is truly erased, unlike the magnetic data of a hard disk drive.
Methods of Wiping Data from a Drive
There are many methods of wiping data from a computer drive, and the method chosen will depend on the level of security required for a device (or personal comfort level).
When reusing drives for our Reboot IT Technology Grants Program, Green Star of Interior Alaska replaces all previous storage with brand new SSD drives. This removes the possibility than any new owner of a refurbished system could ever access any previous owner’s data. The same is true for systems sold through all of our ReUse IT technology resale programs.
Of course, physical destruction of a drive is another method of destroying data.
Yet another strategy for securely wiping magnetic storage media is to use a “degausser” device, which physically rearranges the magnetic field on a hard disk drive.
RAM
RAM stands for Random Access Memory. RAM is the computer’s “volatile memory” (“short term memory”), meaning any flash memory data created during operations of the computer is “forgotten” when the computer is powered off.
512MB DDR2 memory module. Random Access Memory (RAM) does not permanently store data.
A computer’s RAM provides for quick access to data from the hard drive that is actively in use, but it does not store the data. It temporarily holds the data that was retrieved from the hard drive until the computer has booted down.
Because RAM does not permanently store data, it is not necessary to “wipe,” remove, or destroy RAM prior to recycling or reusing a computer — it is safe to leave RAM inside of a computer you want to recycle (and leaving the RAM in the computer makes it easier for us to refurbish for our ReUse IT Technology Resale Programs!).
Cell Phones and Tablets
Smartphones store data in flash memory similar to computer solid state drives. Most smartphones and tablets contain a feature to “Factory Reset” the device – something you should learn to do yourself before ever reselling, gifting or recycling your device. Green Star “resets” used phones and tablets before we send them off for recycling. We do not currently sell refurbished phones or tablets.
iPads are equipped with an “Erase iPad” command in the settings.
Updated March 28, 2024
Original – Cherissa Dukelow
March 29, 2022