IT asset disposition (ITAD) means getting rid of old company IT equipment safely. This covers laptops, servers, hard drives and phones. A provider collects the devices, wipes or destroys the data on them, resells what still works and recycles the rest. You get proof at the end. Arkiva is an NEA-licensed ITAD provider in Singapore.
What is IT asset disposition (ITAD)?
Every company replaces its IT equipment sooner or later. ITAD is the safe way to do it.
The important point is that old devices still hold your data. ITAD makes sure the data is gone before the device leaves your hands.
You may also hear it called IT asset disposal, IT disposal, corporate IT equipment disposal or end-of-life IT equipment disposal. They mostly mean the same thing. ITAD is the full version. It covers the data security, the records and the resale value, not just the removal.
Which IT equipment does ITAD cover?
- Laptops and desktop computers
- Servers (the powerful computers that run company systems), storage and network equipment
- Hard drives, SSDs (newer drives that store data on chips), USB drives and backup tapes
- Mobile phones and tablets
- Monitors, printers and other office IT equipment
Any device that held company data should go through ITAD, even if it is broken.
I am not in IT. What should I do with my old work laptop or phone?
Hand it to your IT team or outsource to companies like Arkiva. That is all you need to do.
- Do not throw it away.
- Do not sell it, give it away or take it home.
- Do not rely on deleting files or reformatting it yourself. That does not prove the data is gone.
Your IT team can arrange ITAD. The data is then removed properly, and there is a record that it was done.
Why is deleting files or throwing away old IT equipment not enough?
On many drives, deleting a file only marks the space as free. The data stays there until something writes over it. Special software can often bring it back. Reformatting a drive works in a similar way. Read more in our post on data wiping vs formatting.
Old laptops and servers can hold customer records, staff details, contracts, emails and passwords. If a device leaves the company without being properly wiped or destroyed, that data leaves with it.
What does Singapore law say about disposing of old IT equipment?
The main law is the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA). Two rules matter here.
- Keep personal data safe (section 24). You must take reasonable steps to protect personal data. The law lists disposal as one of the risks to guard against.
- Do not keep data you no longer need (section 25). Once you no longer need personal data for a legal or business reason, you must stop keeping it.
The Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) enforces the PDPA. It can impose a financial penalty of up to S$1 million. If your company’s yearly turnover in Singapore is above S$10 million, the limit is 10% of that turnover.
The PDPC has a guide on how to dispose of personal data. You can also read the data protection obligations on its website.
NEA also regulates e-waste. Since 2021, Singapore has had a national e-waste system under the Resource Sustainability Act. IT equipment is one of the product types it covers. When you choose a provider, ask for its NEA licence number. For a short summary, see our post on NEA e-waste rules for companies.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Check your own duties with your legal adviser or Data Protection Officer.
What are the steps in an ITAD process?
- Enquiry and quote. You send a list of your devices (type, quantity, working or broken). Photos help.
- Secure pickup. Trained staff collect the devices from your office in GPS-tracked vehicles. Each device is logged by serial number. [CH TO CONFIRM: serial number logging is part of every ITAD job]
- Sorting. Devices are split into three groups: reuse, destroy and recycle.
- Data wiped or destroyed. Working drives are wiped with software, following NIST SP 800-88. Broken drives, and drives with very sensitive data, are physically destroyed. [CH TO CONFIRM: a per-device erasure report is issued for every job]
- Value recovery. Working laptops and desktops are tested and checked for buy-back or resale.
- Recycling. Items that cannot be reused go for proper e-waste recycling.
- Proof. You receive a Certificate of Destruction or an erasure report for your records.
IT teams can download the Arkiva Secure IT Asset Disposal Checklist.
How is data removed from old IT equipment?
There are three main methods. The right one depends on the device, and on whether you want to reuse it.
- Data erasure (wiping): software writes over the data so it cannot be recovered. The device can be reused or resold afterwards. See data erasure.
- Degaussing: a strong magnet scrambles the data on old-style spinning hard drives and tapes. It does not work on SSDs or USB drives. See hard disk degaussing.
- Physical destruction: the drive itself is destroyed, so the data cannot be read. This is used for broken drives and very sensitive data. See hard drive destruction.
NIST SP 800-88 is a US guide called Guidelines for Media Sanitization. It is the one most IT teams refer to. For a device-by-device guide, read our post on IT disposal methods in Singapore.
What is the difference between ITAD, document shredding and e-waste recycling?
They solve different problems. Many office clear-outs need more than one.
| ITAD | Document shredding | E-waste recycling | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it handles | Company IT equipment, such as laptops, servers and drives | Paper records and printed documents | Any unwanted electrical or electronic item |
| Main goal | Remove the data, then reuse, resell or recycle | Destroy paper so it cannot be read | Recover materials and keep e-waste out of general waste |
| Protects your data | Yes, data on devices | Yes, data on paper | Not by itself |
| Proof you get | Erasure report or Certificate of Destruction | Certificate of Destruction | Depends on the job |
| Arkiva page | IT Asset Disposition | Document Shredding | E-Waste Recycling |
If you only shred paper today, ITAD is the next thing to check. An office move or audit that produces boxes of paper usually produces old laptops and drives too.
Can we get money back from old IT equipment?
Often, yes. Working laptops and desktops can be worth money. After the data is wiped, they can be checked for buy-back or resale instead of being destroyed. Destroying a working device throws that value away, so check before you decide.
Read more on IT asset buy-back in Singapore.
How much does ITAD cost in Singapore?
There is no fixed price. ITAD is quoted per job. The price depends on:
- how many devices you have and what type they are
- whether the devices are wiped for reuse or physically destroyed
- where the pickup is, and how easy it is to reach (floor level, lift access)
- whether the devices can be resold
- which reports and certificates you need
Resale value can lower the cost of a job. In some cases it covers the cost.
To get an accurate quote, send your device list and photos through the contact page. Do be careful with any quote that gives only a collection price and does not say how your data will be handled.
How do I choose an ITAD provider in Singapore?
Ask these questions before you agree to anything.
| Ask | Why it matters | Arkiva |
|---|---|---|
| Can you show your NEA licence? | It confirms the provider is licensed to collect and process waste | General Waste Collector Licence A-21-097L-000 and General Waste Disposal Facility Licence WDL-21-11-0003 |
| How do you remove the data? | This shows whether the data is really gone | Data erasure to NIST SP 800-88, plus physical destruction |
| What proof will I get? | You need records for audits and sign-off | Certificate of Destruction or erasure report |
| Do you keep a chain of custody (a record of who has my devices)? | Devices are most at risk between your office and the facility | Secure chain of custody, GPS-tracked vehicles and trained staff |
| Can you take IT and paper together? | One provider means fewer hand-overs and one set of records | Yes, document shredding and ITAD can be collected together |
| What happens to devices that cannot be reused? | They should be recycled properly, not dumped | Sent for proper e-waste recycling |
| Can working devices be bought back? | It recovers value instead of destroying it | Buy-back check for working devices |
Why do companies in Singapore use Arkiva for ITAD?
Arkiva is a Singapore company, with partnership presence in Malaysia and Thailand. We do ITAD, secure data destruction, document shredding and e-waste recycling. More than 1,000 organisations use Arkiva, including banks, law firms, healthcare providers, schools and hotels.
- NEA General Waste Collector Licence A-21-097L-000
- NEA General Waste Disposal Facility Licence WDL-21-11-0003
- ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified
- BizSAFE 3 accredited
- i-SIGMA member
- Singapore SME 500 Award 2022
- Company of Good 2026
See the full list on our certification and accreditations page. If you are planning ahead, our guide to IT asset lifecycle management explains when to retire equipment. Our post on the cost of poor IT asset disposal shows what can go wrong.
What do the technical terms mean?
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| ITAD | IT asset disposition. Safe disposal of old company IT equipment. |
| Data erasure (wiping) | Software writes over the data so it cannot be recovered. |
| Degaussing | Using a strong magnet to wipe old-style hard drives and tapes. |
| SSD | Solid-state drive. A newer drive that stores data on chips, not spinning disks. |
| Physical destruction | Destroying the drive itself so the data cannot be read. |
| Certificate of Destruction | A record that says what was destroyed and when. |
| NIST SP 800-88 | A US government guide on how to wipe or destroy data on devices. |
| NEA | National Environment Agency. Singapore’s environment regulator. |
| PDPA and PDPC | The Personal Data Protection Act, and the commission that enforces it. |
| Chain of custody | A record of who had your devices, from pickup to the end of the job. |
Frequently asked questions
What does ITAD stand for and what does it include?
ITAD stands for IT asset disposition. It means safely disposing of old IT equipment. That includes collecting the devices, wiping or destroying the data, reselling devices that still work, recycling the rest, and keeping a record of what was done.
What is the difference between ITAD and e-waste recycling?
E-waste recycling recovers materials from unwanted electronics. ITAD does that too, but it also protects your data and can bring money back from devices that still work. If the equipment held company data, you need ITAD, not recycling alone.
Is ITAD the same as document shredding?
No. Document shredding destroys paper. ITAD deals with IT equipment and the data stored inside it. Many office clear-outs have both, and Arkiva can collect paper and IT equipment together.
What should I do with my old work laptop or phone?
Hand it to your IT team. Do not throw it away, sell it or take it home. Your IT team can send it for ITAD so the data is removed and there is a record.
Who is responsible if data leaks after we hand devices to a disposal company?
Your company generally stays responsible for the personal data it hands over. Choose a licensed provider, agree how the data will be removed, and keep the certificate or report.
How much does ITAD cost in Singapore?
There is no fixed price. ITAD is quoted per job. The price depends on how many devices you have, what type they are, how the data is removed, where the pickup is and whether the devices can be resold. Send Arkiva a list of your devices for a quote.
Is there a minimum quantity for ITAD?
Contact Arkiva with your device list and we will confirm the arrangement for your volume.
Does ITAD cover servers and data centre equipment?
Yes. Servers, storage drives and network equipment can go through the same process as laptops and desktops. For large decommissioning projects, contact Arkiva to discuss the scope.
What proof do I get after ITAD?
Depending on the method, you get a Certificate of Destruction or an erasure report. It shows what was processed and when. Keep it for internal sign-off and audits.
Ready to dispose of your company’s IT equipment?
Send us a list of your devices and we will quote the job. Photos help.
- Quote: arkiva.com.sg/contact-us
- Call: 6871 8789
- Email: info@arkiva.com.sg
- Address: 1 Corporation Drive #04-06 REVV, Singapore 619775