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Islanders are being urged to recycle their unwanted phones, tablets, PCs and laptops, while raising money for charity, as part of a new partnership between Bailiwick Express, IT hardware firm ITHSCI and the Jersey Employment Trust.
Dubbed the 'Tech Amnesty', the initiative begins on 13 March, and will run until the 5 April.
Between those dates, islanders will be able to take their unwanted device to Acorn in Trinity, where it will collected by a member of the Jersey Employment Trust team.
They also need to 'factory reset' the device, and complete a very short form to comply with data security requirements.
The team at ITHSCI will then collect the device and, wherever possible, permanently wipe all of the data from it - even restoring factory settings doesn't do this completely, and in such a way that personal data can never be recovered. In some cases, data such as pictures or texts can still be restored even following a factory reset.
Pictured: a standard factory reset of a device doesn't permanently remove all of its data.
If all of the data can't be removed by the team at ITHSCI, then the actual device will be totally shredded, and its component parts or materials reused instead.
The Amnesty will be open for phones, laptops, tablets and desk-top PC's.
Once the device has been completely wiped, it will then be returned to Acorn for resale with any proceeds being split between the scheme's partners.
Acorn General Manager Steve Pearce said: "The Tech Amnesty is a great opportunity for us to explore other ways of reuse and stop things going into the waste stream, while at the same time creating new opportunities for jobs and training for people who have a disability or long-term health condition.
"It continues our mission to work in an ethical manner, with the environment at heart, and people can be confident that we are securely disposing any data on their devices."
The Tech Amnesty will initially run for a four-week period so that the partners involved can assess the number of unwanted devices which may be donated, and the demand to purchase them once all the data has been permanently wiped off. Depending on the results of that trial, it may then be extended into an ongoing initiative.
Express Director, Mark Jackson, commented: "New devices come out so frequently now, and each one uses materials which are precious. But if people look after their device, there is no reason why it can't be reused, which is really helpful when we are all trying to keep an eye on how much we are spending, while still making the most of the opportunities available online.
"We know that currently, many people opt for an informal sale via a social media site - but there is a risk that all the data on their device hasn't been permanently erased as a factory reset doesn't do that; and for convenience, we use our phones to hold some very valuable data these days.
"Our partners at ITSHCI are able to completely remove that data permanently, and provide certification that it has been done."
Pictured: our reliance on equipment which can asses the internet means many people have older devices which could be reused, if the data is wiped.
Before leaving their device at Acorn, islanders will need to restore it to factory settings, and complete this short form, to comply with data security requirements.
Stuart Moseley, Director at ITSHCI added: "With the never ending quest for faster and better technology, we quite often retire technology prior to the end of its functional life span. The disposal of unwanted IT hardware poses huge environmental problems, these can be reduced by donating your equipment to the Tech Amnesty in the full knowledge that any data will be destroyed prior to reuse.
"We are delighted to be working alongside JET/Acorn and Bailiwick Express to provide a secure way to dispose of your unwanted tech equipment. Whilst IT Hardware Services was launched this year here in Jersey, we have over 30 years' industry knowledge by providing reuse services for used computer equipment across the business sector in the Channel Islands. This gives us the skills to work in partnership with great local enterprises to extend your unwanted IT equipment."
The scheme is also able to work with businesses who may have larger volumes of IT hardware which they need to dispose of. ITHSCI will provide a fully GDPR compliant collection, audit and processing service along with financial return to JET. Click here to arrange a collection.
The need to make sure devices have their data completely wiped permanently, is supported by the Information Commissioner, Dr. Jay Fedorak:
"The Data Protection (Jersey) Law requires organisations to destroy personal information when it is no longer required. The law specifies this because personal information is valuable and carries with it ‘risks’. Personal information stored on laptops, PC’s and smart phones doesn’t disappear when you just hit the delete button or revert to factory settings – it is vital that your personal information is fully erased to the point of being irrecoverable when you discard your devices."
CEO of Digital Jersey, Tony Moretta, added: “One of the downsides of rapid development in technology is the challenge of what to do with our old phones, laptops and other gadgets, so it’s good to see a local initiative that solves this problem in a responsible way and offers the opportunity for reuse for a good cause.”
The Tech Amnesty opens for drop-offs at Acorn on the 13 March, subject to covid restrictions at the time.
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