2trg Helps Businesses Avoid Fines and Stay Out of Environmental Trouble by Properly Recycling E-Waste

Correct disposal of toxic, obsolete, electronic waste and safeguarding sensitive data is one of those jobs that can’t be performed effectively in-house. Wiping a hard drive with in-house software doesn’t even begin to solve the issue of data protection, according to executives at 2trg, a technology recycling company based in Blue Ash, OH and Louisville, KY.

Cincinnati, OH, June 13, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Identity theft has topped the Federal Trade Commission’s list of consumer complaints for the past eight years. 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft last year—a 22% increase over the prior year, according to Javelin Strategy and Research. The FTC came to the same conclusion, citing a 21% increase in identity theft complaints in 2008.

“Individual consumers are not the only ones at risk,” explains Elli Workum, 2trg CEO. “A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that the cost of information breaches to U.S. companies also rose dramatically, with the average total per-incident cost in 2008 rising to $6.65 million.”

What many companies may not realize is that if company data and equipment end up in the hands of dishonest people or in a landfill, the CEO and Board Members could be fined more than $10,000/day/each. Following DOD and EPA guidelines to properly dispose of old IT equipment is a necessity in the wake of:

Gramm-Leach-Biley Act (GLBA) – Penalties can include $10,000/incident personally & $100,000/incident for the institution
Fact Act - Penalties handed down by the FTC begin at $11,000 per infraction and increase from there
Sarbanes-Oxley – Non-compliance penalties: $1,000,000 - $5,000,000 & 10 – 20 years imprisonment
HIPAA – Non-compliance penalties: $1,000,000 - $5,000,000 & 10 – 20 years imprisonment

Companies concerned about protecting data when recycling electronic assets can download a free report, “Electronic Assets Disposal: Questions to Ask and Red Flags to Heed!” The report is immediately available for download at www.2trg.com.

Organizations are being put under a microscope by the public and the federal government to wipe or shred hard drives and then dispose of computers, monitors, printers, and even light bulbs by the most cost-effective recycling methods available. 2trg recycles all those products and more, including batteries and televisions.

“Each computer or television display contains an average of 4 to 8 pounds of lead,” continues Workum. “Consumer electronics constitute 40% of lead found in landfills, while 70% of heavy metals (including mercury and cadmium) in landfills comes from electronic equipment discards. These hazardous substances can contaminate groundwater and pose other environmental and public health risks, in addition to being a public relations nightmare if a company’s computers are found in a landfill.”

2trg processes used electronics in an environmentally safe and legally compliant manner. Data residing on computers and electronic items are shredded on site in a secure manner to prevent client data from getting in the wrong hands. The recycled materials are sold to re-manufacturers who use them to make new products, completing the cycle of “reduce, reuse, and recycle.”

Consumers can also benefit from 2trg’s services. The company is the Recycling Partner for many county residential computer recycling programs and accepts drop-off of computers and TVs for a small fee weekdays from 9am-4pm. Visit www.2trg.com for more information or phone 513-761-5333 in SW Ohio or 502-554-9995 in Kentucky.

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Vicki Ullery
513-761-5333
www.2trg.com
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