When it comes to IT asset disposition (ITAD), finding the right provider can be challenging. Each provider has unique policies and procedures, often buried in fine print, that can significantly impact the services you receive. Paying attention to these details is crucial for saving your company money as well as protecting its reputation.
To save you time and money, we thoroughly researched the services provided by 8 different major ITAD providers and hardware manufacturers offering ITAD services. We read through their ITAD policies, scoured through their publicly available online documentation, and read all the fine print we could find. This article delves into what our research found out about Iron Mountain’s ITAD services. This information was thoroughly researched and completely accurate as of April 2024, when we studied the online documentation.
Iron Mountain's ITAD Services: An Overview
Iron Mountain is a managed ITAD provider that offers a comprehensive list of accepted assets, including various office hardware and peripherals, which means you are unlikely to need multiple service providers. Their policy prioritizes refurbishment and reselling before recycling, aligning with sustainability goals. Numerous articles on their site provide detailed information on ITAD processes and areas for improvement, making it easier for customers to understand ITAD and how they can mature their process.
Online Asset Valuation Tools
Iron Mountain does not offer an online tool for uploading assets. Instead, they request that you contact them directly using their online form, and they promise to get back to you within one business day.
ITAD Collection Services
Iron Mountain offers two collection options depending on the size of your business. Small businesses can use their DIY option, where Iron Mountain sends boxes or pallets for asset collection. Large businesses can have Iron Mountain pack and transport assets directly using secure trucks with GPS tracking.
Data Destruction Services
Iron Mountain offers both on-site and off-site data destruction services, including overwriting, degaussing, and physical destruction of drives. They ensure compliance with NIST 800-88 standards using their proprietary TerraWare software. They provide certified data sanitization and an audit-ready chain of custody for each serialized asset.
Reporting Procedures
Iron Mountain offers a comprehensive suite of reports, including certificates of erasure, shredding, and recycling, and settlement and environmental reports and monthly audit reports. Their robust monitoring and reporting procedures are available through an online portal accessible on your phone. A demonstration of their app showed customization options, though it was unclear if they also offered PC reporting options, and no view of actual reports was provided. They also offer to help with audit trail reconciliation.
Recycling and E-Waste Policies
Iron Mountain’s policy is to refurbish and remarket assets first and recycle assets that cannot be resold. The company states they aim for zero waste by 2040. Assets that cannot be reused are recycled in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations. Iron Mountain holds certifications in Responsible Recycling (R2v3).
Chain of Custody
Iron Mountain tracks assets from pickup to destruction, scanning them at routine points in the process. During transportation, assets are shipped in secure trucks with GPS tracking. Their Secure ITAD Management System allows you to track your IT assets throughout the process, ensuring a transparent chain of custody.
Cash Value
Iron Mountain refurbishes valuable assets and sells them, providing you with a portion of the fair market value that can offset their processing costs. Depending on your retired assets, you may receive cash value. However, there was no discussion of how much that value might be after their fees are deducted or how it is dispersed.
The Fine Print
Iron Mountain’s documentation is comprehensive, and no fine print showing exceptions or exclusions to their policies was found. However, since a quote was not generated, there may be additional fine print there.
Assessment of Iron Mountain’s ITAD Services
Iron Mountain’s ITAD services hold up well. Their focus on refurbishment before recycling aligns with sustainability goals, and their comprehensive list of accepted assets reduces the need for multiple service providers. The transparency of their policies and the availability of robust documentation are significant advantages.
However, the lack of an online asset valuation tool could be seen as a drawback, especially for companies that prefer to handle initial assessments digitally. Furthermore, while zero waste by 2040 may sound appealing, industry's best standards suggest zero waste is possible now.
Summary Chart of Iron Mountain ITAD Services
Find Out How We Can Help
If you are an enterprise, government, or institution looking for ITAD solutions or want a copy of our white paper on Iron Mountain's ITAD services or one of the other major providers we researched, please contact us at ICT.
Selected References
ICT About ICT (n.d.) ICT About Company Page. Retrieved February 2, 2024, from https://ictcompany.com/
ICT AI (n.d.) ICT Mission Reuse AI Online Tool. Retrieved February 1, 2024, https://itad.ai/
ICT Mission Reuse (n.d.) ICT Mission Reuse. Retrieved February 2, 2024, https://mission-reuse.com/
Iron Mountain Certificates (n.d.) Iron Mountain Certificates and Awards https://www.ironmountain.com/about-us/certifications-and-awards
Iron Mountain ITAD Accepted Items (n.d.) https://www.ironmountain.com/resources/solution-guides/s/secure-itad-accepted-items
Iron Mountain ITAD (n.d.) Iron Mountain IT asset disposition (ITAD) https://www.ironmountain.com/services/it-asset-lifecycle-management/secure-it-asset-disposition
Iron Mountain Sustainability Report (2022) https://www.ironmountain.com/resources/solution-guides/a/2022-asset-lifecycle-management-sustainability-report
Kissel, R., Regenscheid, A., Scholl, M., & Stine, K. (2014, December 17). Guidelines for Media Sanitization. Csrc.nist.gov. https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/88/r1/final
SERI (2020). Welcome To R2v3 - SERI. SERI - Sustainable Electronics Recycling International. https://sustainableelectronics.org/welcome-to-r2v3/
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