OceanTech

Hard Drive Shredding - the Best Way to Permanently Destroy Data

2012-02-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

As technology continues to advance and systems continue to get upgraded, some find that they are left with a growing pile of data storage devices. Storing large (or even small!) amounts of sensitive information can be a liability for businesses, and leave individuals vulnerable to identity theft. Throwing these devices away is simply not an option. Keep only the data storage devices that you need, and ensure that these are securely locked up. The rest should be properly disposed of. The best way to ensure that your sensitive data is completely destroyed is to have it shredded.

Statutes such as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and the Federal Trade Commission Act may require your company to provide reasonable security to the sensitive information of your clients. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that up to 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. Contact OceanTech at info@oceantechonline.com or (612) 331-4456 for additional information about getting your hard drives, CDs, tapes, or other media storage devices securely shredded.

Common Items that Contain Mercury

2011-12-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

It may surprise you to learn that some newer devices contain mercury, such as laptop screens and compact fluorescent light bulbs. The use of mercury in many items is being phased out or has been eliminated, but mercury-containing items are likely present in your home. If one of these items breaks, the mercury can evaporate and become an odorless, invisible vapor that is toxic. This neurotoxin may cause irreversible brain damage, and can affect children developing in the womb. When these items are not properly recycled and are instead discarded with your normal trash, they can be incinerated or disposed of in landfills, which allows mercury to pollute our environment.

*Items with an asterisk next to them are accepted for recycling at OceanTech.

The items in this list are prohibited from being disposed of in landfills. Contact your local municipality for recycling information.

Certain Antiques

- Barometers

Barometers are instruments used to measure atmospheric pressures. Antique barometers contain about 4 ounces of mercury on average.

- Clocks

Clocks with pendulums may contain mercury; the mercury in the pendulum was used to keep it swinging at a steady rate.

- Mirrors

A reflecting layer of mercury was added to the glass.

*Some button cell batteries

Mercury in button cell batteries is used to prevent buildup of gas inside the battery, which can cause them to leak.

*Relays and Switches

Switches open or close electrical circuits, and relays are electrically operated switches. Minnesota now has restrictions on the sale and/or distribution of switches and relays containing mercury, and many companies have stopped manufacturing switches and relays with mercury.

Old clothes irons

Mercury tilt switches were often used as on/off switches.

*LCD monitors, laptop LCD monitors

Mercury in the screen is electrically energized, which produces visible light.

Light-up shoes

According to the EPA, light-up shoes containing mercury are no longer sold.

*Fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s)

Mercury in the bulbs is electrically energized, which produces visible light. The US Environmental Protection Agency has this helpful webpage with instructions for what to do if a CFL breaks: http://www.epa.gov/cfl/cflcleanup.html

Older electric appliances

Some washing machine lids, chest freezers, space heaters, and clothes dryers used to be produced with mercury tilt switches, which functioned as on/off switches.

Recycle Your Holiday Lights

2011-12-12T14:26:00.000-08:00

Once again, OceanTech is participating in the Recycling Association of Minnesota's holiday light recycling program. This non-profit run program employs adults with disabilities, and all parts of the light strands are properly recycled. It is completely free to drop off your holiday lights for recycling at any of the 400+ drop-off locations in Minnesota. OceanTech accepts lights during our normal business hours of 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday. If you can't make it to here, click here for a complete list of participating locations.

LED (light-emitting diode) lights offer significant energy savings over traditional incandescent lights. According to the US Department of Energy, running LED holiday lights on a 6-foot tree for 12 hours per day for 40 days can save 90% or more energy as compared to incandescent holiday lights. LEDs are cooler than incandescents, resulting in a lower risk of fire, and more can be safely connected end-to-end due to their lower use of energy.

Follow this link to learn more about the Recycling Association of Minnesota and their holiday lights recycling program.

America Recycles Day at OceanTech

2011-11-18T07:55:00.001-08:00

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 205,500,000 computer products were discarded in 2007, and only 18% of these were recycled. Electronics can contain an alarming amount of toxic components, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. A CRT monitor, for example, can contain between 4 - 8 pounds of lead! The Electronics Takeback Coalition states that about 40% of the heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) found in landfills are there due to electronics that have been thrown out instead of properly recycled.

On November 15, 2011, OceanTech joined many organizations and individuals around the country celebrating America Recycles Day. This is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to promoting recycling awareness.
This year we hosted our first annual free residential recycling event. From 9AM - 7PM on November 15, individuals were able to drop off their personal electronics for recycling for no charge. This resulted in nearly 4500 pounds of electronics that were collected for responsible recycling, ensuring that this equipment was kept out of landfills. Thank you to everyone who came out and helped make this year's event a success!