Cleaning Out the Tech Closet

Below are supporting links and information for the talk I gave at the Suburban Chicago Users Group on February 20, 2021.

You can also download the slides of this information as a pdf.

Note: this list is provided for information only and is not an endorsement of any of these companies or services. Also, I am not affiliated in any way with these companies. Please do your own research.

Data Destruction (Local)

National Association for Information Destruction
Search service to find hard drive destruction companies
Business-focused, but some companies may offer consumer services

The Shred Authority  
Not clear if they work with consumers

ProShred
Unclear if consumer shredding includes hard drives

Data Destruction Mail-in Services

GreenDisk  
I’ve used this service several times in the past. Their “techno-trash” option was one of the earliest consumer-facing electronics recycling that I can remember.

Shred Quick 
U Ship – We Shred
Hard Drive Destruction & Shredding Services by ShredQuick Serving Southwest & Central Florida  

eWaste Direct
Consumer Mail-In Hard Drive Shredding Program 

Ship-n-Destroy  
Offers lockable totes for shipping

CyberCrunch
Mail-back Recycling & Shredding  

CD and DVD Recycling

Back thru the Future
Offers shredding and recycling of DVDs and CDs — separately from other services.

Recycling

Where Do I Recycle This?
Lake County (SWALCO) 
swalco.org/BusinessDirectoryii.aspx

McHenry County, IL - Solid Waste Program
mchenrycountyil.gov/county-government/departments-a-i/health-department/environmental-health/solid-waste-program

Northern Cook County (SWANCC) - Electronics Recycling
swancc.org/electronics-recycling/electronics-recycling

West Cook County Solid Waste Agency  
westsubwaste.org

DuPage County IL - Electronics Recycling
dupageco.org/ElectronicsRecycling/ 

Will County Green - Electronic
willcountygreen.com/greenguide/electronic.aspx