Data Security

Data Destruction Services

GreenCitizen offers a hard disk data destruction service at our EcoCenter and through business pickups. Each hard drive is tracked down to the serial and model number and then crushed in our hard disk destroyer. Once all hard drives have been destroyed, we will send you a certificate of destruction listing each individual drive with the serial and model number.

In addition to hard drives, GreenCitizen offers a destruction service for Cell phones and PDAs

It is $20 per hard drive/device for customers dropping off at an Eco-Center.

On-Site Hard Disk Data Destruction

GreenCitizen also offers an on-site hard disk destruction service for businesses and will bring the portable hard disk destroyer to your facility/office. In the interest of full accountability, your staff can watch the hard disk destroyer crush the hard drives. After the hard drives are destroyed GreenCitizen will send a Certificate of Destruction.

Hard Drive Data Erasure

GreenCitizen offers FREE hard drive erasure for computers 2014 and newer, OR with an i5, i7, or i9 processor. We track the computers by make, model, and serial number, and will provide a Data Destruction Summary upon request stating that all items have been securely erased. This service does not include tracking each individual drive.

GreenCitizen follows the US Department of Commerce’s NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Computer Security Division’s Special Publication 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization.  We implement a secure erase procedure for all Solid State and Mechanical Drives.  If a drive does not support our standard secure erasing procedure, we follow NISP’s (National Industrial Security Program) Operating Manual, or DoD 5220.22-M as recommended by the Department of Defense.  If we cannot sanitize a drive, we will physically destroy it.

Cell Phone Erasure

GreenCitizen offers a hard drive, cell phone and PDA erasure service that starts with each item being tracked, down to the serial and model number*. Each device has its data removed in a process specific to that make and model to ensure complete information removal. Hard drives will be erased using the Department of Defense 5220.2-M Data Sanitization. Upon completion of this process, GreenCitizen will send you a certificate listing each item/hard drive with serial and model number.

*Device must be able to power on.

Product Destruction

Destruction and shredding service for prototypes, products, and IT equipment. We can destroy your prototypes and products. Click here to learn more!

Mail In Hard Disk Data Destruction

To mail in hard drives for destruction complete the following steps:

1. Download and complete the shipping form by clicking here.
2. Enclose the shipping form with your hard disk and send certified mail to the address listed on the form.
3. Once the hard drives and payment are received, we will destroy them and send a Certificate of Destruction. You may enclose a check with your package, or we can take credit card payment over the phone.

Why is Hard Disk Data Destruction Necessary?

Discarded or donated computers, copiers, and media disks are a principal source of information for identity thieves. These items should not be viewed as trash but rather as archives of confidential data.

The majority of US recycling companies ship electronic waste or “e-waste” overseas. Identity thieves are able to buy and sift through hundreds of hard drives and media disks at a time and pull social security numbers, bank account details, birth certificates, online passwords, passport photos, and addresses to create new identities, credit cards, take out loans, and empty bank accounts.