What do I do with old computers, hard drives or DVDs?
Electronic equipment as well as data storage media can be disposed properly.
Electronic equipment
There are disposal areas for electronic equipment like computers and printerrs at the TUM locations (guideline chap. 1.3).
Please note: Remove the hard disks from computers and dispose them at a container for data storage media.
Data storage media
TUM has instituted a system for destroying any type of data storage media. The system is highly secure and absolves the owner of the media of any responsibility.
Disposing of old computer media as normal trash or electronic scrap harbors significant risks. This media often contains personal data that should never fall into anyone else's hands. Even deleting data that resides on an old hard drive is of little help since the deleted information can usually be restored and retrieved with the help of special programs.
Locked containers have been placed at several locations across the university, including the main campus in Munich, the satellite campus in Garching and the Weihenstephan research campus in Freising. Each container has a narrow slot where you can deposit the media you want destroyed. The service is free of charge.
This concept is designed to dispose of media such as
- hard drives,
- magnetic tapes,
- DVDs,
- USB sticks and
- memory cards.
The data media is stored safely in the containers and can only be removed with the correct key. In addition, access to the containers is physically restricted.
Each container is controlled by a responsible person who contacts the certified disposal company (Cintas) when the container is full. Cintas then sends a truck with a high-capacity shredder to mechanically destroy the contents of the container on-site. Cintas then further disposes of the residual material, ensuring that the storage media undergoes security level 4 destruction in line with DIN 32757-1.
Locations of the disposal containters
| Location | Position | Contact person | Contact details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campus Garching, RBG Informatik | 85748 Garching, Boltzmannstr. 3 | FMI-RBG-HW | 089.289.18255, wartung@in.tum.de |
| ITW Weihenstephan | 85354 Freising, Maximus-von-Imhof-Forum 3 | ITW-Helpdesk | 08161 71-3245, helpdesk@wzw.tum.de |
| TUM main campus, central disposal, "Wertstofflager" | Arcisstr. 21, 80333 München - TUM inner courtyard: behind the Audimax building down the ramp, low building at the left | Mr. Machatzky, only Tuesday 9:30 am to 10:30 am | 089.289.25289, 089.289.12074, machatzky@zv.tum.de |
Klinikum Rechts der Isar
- To dispose of hard drives that have been removed from a computer and for other storage media, collection points are located in the clinic's computer center and in the "Technischer Betrieb und Bauwesen" (TBB) department of the medical technology area.
- A separate data storage disposal container is located in the recycling center/Apothekenhof for other media such as USB sticks, audio and video tapes and x-ray images. Central MRI employees are responsible for these containers. No other persons have access to the storage room.
- If large amounts of non-paper storage media need to be disposed of, especially x-ray images, the File Management/TBB area is responsible for organizing separate collection of the archive material through a certified service provider.
- Contact persons at the clinic are the representative for waste/hazardous material, the head of the file management department and the data protection representative.