Critical Thinking and Computer Logic :: Case Study, solution

With the PCLM solution came another set of problems, the largest being that of what to do with the existing personal computers. We had just assumed we could dispose of the outdated computers as you would any other item, by placing it in the trash. That turned out to not be the case, we had to obey all local, State, and Federal regulations regarding the proper disposal of personal computers and CRT monitors. The other unforeseen circumstance was compiling with Federal laws associated to properly destroying all sensitive customer information off the PC hard drives. HIPAA physical safeguard contain the following regulation; disposal, implement policies and procedures to address the final disposition of electronic protected health information, and or the hardware or electronic media on which it is stored; media re-use, implement procedures for removal of electronic protected health information from electronic media before the media are made available for re-use; accountab ility, maintain a record of the movements of hardware and electronic media and any person responsible therefore. (Phoenix Health Systems, 2006) With regards to disposing or recycling of old computer equipment there are very many key things that need to be considered. What are the fees for disposing or recycling of computer and other electronic equipment? Is disposing of electronic equipment equally as environmentally safe compared to recycling? What are the long-term effects of disposing this kind of materials? Can anyone benefit from the recycling of computers or other electronic devices? These are some of the things that should be considered when deciding to dispose of old or unwanted computer materials. Each company must see which option is best for them and their ideals. Usually there are nominal fees for companies to pick up and dispose of computers, monitors, and printers, the same can be said for recycling. There are even free options that are sometimes offered by non-profit or government agencies in order to help ease the land filling of this type of materials. Just last year the Michigan Department of Information Technology and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality teamed up with Dell, Inc. to host free computer recycling collections at three locations across Michigan to provide citizens with a better alternative for disposing of their electronic computer equipment (State of Michigan To Hold Computer Recycling Events, http://www.