In today’s digital world, Iowa businesses rely on technology for nearly everything—from financial transactions and patient care to education and local government. But what happens when that technology reaches the end of its life?
Understanding the danger of improper data destruction is essential. Many companies still believe that drilling a hole through a hard drive is enough, but a drilled drive isn’t a destroyed drive.
According to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average data breach costs $4.45 million. For organizations across Central Iowa, even a single forgotten hard drive can mean regulatory fines, lawsuits, and a damaged reputation.
Why “Good Enough” Isn’t Good Enough
Data can often be recovered from drives that appear damaged or erased. Anyone with free forensic tools can extract files from an improperly destroyed device.
Certified data destruction goes beyond simple deletion or damage. It ensures every drive is wiped, shredded, or degaussed following strict standards like NIST 800-88. That level of assurance is what auditors and regulators expect today.
Common Mistakes That Leave Data Behind
Drilling or hammering drives instead of shredding them – you can easily miss critical components.
- Using software “deletes” that don’t overwrite data – some wiping tools miss reallocated or reserve areas.
- Sending devices to non-certified recyclers – un-audited processes can often miss drives or lack proper verification
- Failing to track drives through their entire chain of custody – a lack of proper asset tracking opens up the door to lost drives, or employees stealing them for their own use.
Each of these mistakes can result in recoverable data—and major compliance risks.
The True Cost of Doing It Wrong
Improper destruction doesn’t just put information at risk—it threatens your entire operation.
Risk Type
Regulatory fines
Data breach response
Legal action
Reputation loss
Operational downtime
Potential Cost or Consequence
Up to $1.5 million under HIPAA or FTC rules
$4.45 million average per incident (IBM)
Lawsuits, settlements, and class-action claims
Customer trust and brand damage
Disruption during investigations
The cheapest insurance you can buy is proper, certified destruction—done once, done right.
A Real-World Reminder
This isn’t just sales exaggeration; there are many real-world examples of data breaches caused by improper disposal. In 2021 the HealthReach Community Health Centers breach, which exposed over 100,000 patients’ data after a third-party vendor improperly disposed of hard drives.
Another example is the 2022 case where Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC was fined $35 million for failing to properly dispose of hard drives containing the personal information of approximately 15 million customers, some of which were sold without data removal.
In 2023, NorthShore University HealthSystem reported that hundreds of thousands of patient records were exposed after improperly managed IT equipment was decommissioned. The breach led to lawsuits, investigation costs, and public trust issues—all from data that should have been securely destroyed.
If major hospitals and one of the largest international financial firms can experience this kind of failure, smaller organizations, schools, and local businesses face the same risks when devices are recycled without certified data wiping or shredding.
Environmental and Community Impact
Improper data destruction often comes with improper recycling. Many uncertified recyclers ship electronics overseas, where they’re stripped down and burned for scrap metal—releasing toxic materials into the environment.
According to the U.S. EPA, e-waste is now the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, and unsafe handling contributes to soil and water pollution.
As Iowa’s only R2v3-certified electronics recycler, Electronic Asset Security ensures all devices are processed responsibly and transparently:
- Zero-landfill policy — Nothing that can be recycled is ever discarded in the general waste stream. Ask your recycler what they do with mixed plastic waste.
- Verified downstream vendors — All materials stay within approved, ethical recycling channels that also follow the R2-v3 standards.
- Local processing — All destruction and recycling happens in Urbandale, supporting local jobs and reducing emissions from shipping.
Protecting data and protecting the planet go hand in hand—and EAS helps you do both.
How Electronic Asset Security Protects You
At Electronic Asset Security (EAS), we don’t outsource destruction—we perform it in-house at our R2v3-certified Urbandale facility. That ensures your equipment stays secure from pickup to proof.
Our Data Destruction Process
- Controlled access: Background-checked, drug-tested, trained & audited technicians.
- Verified methods: NIST 800-88 and DoD 5220.22-M compliant wiping or shredding.
- Detailed documentation: Serial-number-level Certificates of Destruction
- Regulatory compliance: Meets HIPAA, GLBA, FERPA, and FTC Safeguards standards
- Responsible recycling: Zero-landfill policy for all materials
With EAS, your data is destroyed, your compliance is documented, and your materials are handled responsibly.
How to Choose a Secure ITAD Partner
Before you hand over any data-bearing devices, make sure your partner:
1. Is R2v3-certified and ISO-compliant
2. Performs data destruction in-house
3. Provides Certificates of Destruction with serial number tracking
4. Offers chain-of-custody reporting
Has a local presence and transparent processes You can verify R2v3 certification through SERI’s official directory.
Protecting Iowa’s Businesses, Banks, and Schools
Electronic Asset Security serves organizations across Iowa—small businesses in West Des Moines, school districts, healthcare providers, and statewide financial institutions.
Our mission is simple: to make secure technology disposal easy, compliant, and sustainable. We handle the entire process so you can focus on what matters most—running your business confidently and securely.
Conclusion: Destroy Data, Not Your Reputation
Improper data destruction isn’t just a small mistake—it’s a big liability. Don’t trust your company’s data to a recycler who drills a hole and calls it done.
Choose Electronic Asset Security, Iowa’s trusted R2v3-certified ITAD provider, for verified, local, and environmentally responsible data destruction.
Schedule a secure pickup today:
www.ElectronicAssetSecurity.com
Serving Urbandale, Des Moines, West Des Moines, and all of Iowa