Synetic Technologies FAQs
How long has Synetic Technologies been an ITAD and ITAM business and are you a certified electronic recycler?
Synetic Technologies was founded in 1999 and has consistently adhered to the criteria of the industry’s top certifying bodies governing data security and environmental compliance for the electronics recycling industry. View our current certifications.
How does your Midwest location benefit my ITAD and ITAM programs?
Synetic Technologies is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Our centrally located Midwest processing facility makes us convenient for companies and organizations nationwide. Not only is it central to both coasts, reducing transportation time and costs, but our single facility means no passed-on overhead associated with operating multiple sites which delivers greater value to our clients. When it makes sense, Synetic leverages vetted partners to service clients globally while providing a single point of contact and consistent reporting regardless of location.
What differentiates Synetic from other companies who provide similar ITAD and ITAM services?
Innovation and Value: While other ITAD firms pay licensing fees to a 3rd party software provider for each device wiped, Synetic patented our own data sanitization platform which delivers greater value to our clients.
Customer Testimonials: Synetic’s approach to ‘outside the box thinking’ and ‘customized solutions’ results in long-standing relationships. In our history, no customer has ever terminated services for any reason relating to our processes or security. Integrity, trust and transparency are key elements in our services.
Notarization: Synetic notarizes all Certificates of Data Destruction and Responsible Recycling providing additional peace of mind that you are fully protected from liability at all locations.
Certifications: We are among the highest certified IT asset disposition firm globally. Synetic Technologies, along with our downstream partners, hold these certifications and industry memberships:
› OHSAS18001 Compliant
› ISO®9001 Certified
› ISO®14001 Certified
› ISO®45001 Certified
› R2 Certified
› NAID AAA
› IAITAM Provider Member
› EPA Certification
› ISRI Member
› National Recycling Coalition
› Reverse Logistics Association
› DNR Certified Member
› Natural Resources Defense Council
Security & The Environment FAQs
Do you follow a zero landfill policy?
Yes, our zero landfill policy means that Synetic Technologies adheres to strict guidelines that ALL e-waste products from low grade plastics to hazardous Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, motherboards, copper, low grade steel, aluminum and glass are processed for reuse in manufacturing environments.
As electronics are received and processed through our internal channels, all e-waste products are sorted and separated based on type and grade. These e-waste products are recorded in an internal asset-tracking database indicating date of receipt and origin. These products are then transported utilizing internal chain-of-customer procedures to Synetic’s downstream partner for final de-manufacturing and shredding in accordance with EPA and BAN regulations. End products resulting from this process are reused for new goods and products, saving energy and raw materials usually required for manufacturing.
Does Synetic export any electronic scrap or non-working equipment overseas?
No, Synetic does not sell to or ship to any overseas entity or organization that is a profit or non-profit. All e-waste products are processed in accordance with R2 certification.
How do you handle de-manufacturing and recycling operations in-house or outsourced?
Synetic de-manufactures at the component level and then allows our vetted R2 downstream partner to finalize the process. Our operation focuses on the proper collecting, receiving and sorting of e-waste materials for recycling.
With the hazardous nature of specific e-waste products, R2 and EPA laws/mandates, our downstream partner completes de-manufacturing and recycling in accordance with EH&S systems via R2 and EPA laws for accountability and trusted practices through each phase of the recycling process.
How do you indemnify our company from environmental liability? How and when is liability transferred? What amount of insurance coverage do you provide for pollution coverage, errors and omission coverage, as well as any other coverage?
Synetic Technologies leverages a $5,000,000 indemnification instrument to cover you from liquidated damages sought in litigation or regulatory fines, along with our professional liability policy. We instigate a transfer of title and ownership immediately upon our removal of IT assets from your facilities. This transfer protects you immediately from any issues or remedies that are sought due to errors and omission.
What security measures does Synetic have in place to ensure the safety of our assets and the information stored on our hard drives.
Synetic ensures the safety of your assets and the data stored on their hard drives with both our shredding process and sanitization process known as the Virtual Data Annihilator™. The Virtual Data Annihilator™ follows national standards set forth in the NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 1, Guidelines for Media Sanitization, which is acceptable data eradication known as “clearing.” Clearing is defined as using software or hardware to overwrite storage space on the media with non-sensitive data.
All assets are thoroughly cleansed, including data residing on any data or media storage device within the asset via the Virtual Data Annihilator™. All optical and floppy drives are checked for disks along with USB ports for thumb drives. All corporate asset tags and or markings are completely removed and the BIOS is cleared of any corporate identifying marks or nomenclature.
Do you adhere to DOD-5220-22M HD data erasure regulations?
Yes. The DoD standard originates from NIST Special Publication 800-88, Guidelines for Media Sanitization, which covers acceptable data eradication known as “clearing.” Clearing is defined as using software or hardware to overwrite storage space on the media with non-sensitive data.
Drives are physically shredded and destroyed if a data device does not fully pass our internal auditing after being run through our NAID and patented Virtual Data Annihilator processes.
Do you physically destroy and/or shred hard drives onsite?
Yes. We have options for hard drive destruction, both offsite and onsite. For onsite destruction we can deploy our mobile data destruction vehicle, the Data Annihilator™, which will shred hard drives to shrapnel that meets the NAID recommended particle size.
Also, we can conduct data eradication through NIST 800-88 compliant software. Drives are physically shredded and destroyed if a data device does not fully pass our internal auditing after being run through our NAID and patented Virtual Data Annihilator processes.
Asset Retirement & Value Recovery FAQs
What processes do you use to ensure that no company data, files, information, identifying marks or asset tags remain on assets when they are either sold or destroyed?
Synetic provides data destruction services via shredding or through our patented data sanitization platform known as the Virtual Data Annihilator™. The Virtual Data Annihilator™ follows national standards set forth in the NIST Special Publication 800-88 Revision 1, Guidelines for Media Sanitization, which is acceptable data eradication known as “clearing.” Clearing is defined as using software or hardware to overwrite storage space on the media with non-sensitive data.
All assets are thoroughly cleansed, including data residing on any data or media storage device within the asset via the Virtual Data Annihilator™. All optical and floppy drives are checked for disks along with USB ports for thumb drives. All corporate asset tags and or markings are completely removed and the BIOS is cleared of any corporate identifying marks or nomenclature.
How do you determine what assets can be sold and what assets must be recycled?
There are several factors used to determine marketability. The first and most important is viability of the asset in the secondary market. Most low-end machines (PCs and Laptops) are less marketable today than they were six months ago. Unfortunately, this marker is in constant movement, all dependent on secondary market supply and demand. Second, we must determine if the asset is a marketable unit, damaged beyond repair “DBR” or incomplete.
Synetic makes this determination based on our market and equipment knowledge. We’ve built relationships with the right sales channels with the right trusted customers to move the product. We have invested a great deal of time and energy into developing sales customers in the wholesale/dealer, eCommerce, and B2B markets, providing the greatest rate of return on marketable assets.
How do you maximize return to the client?
Let’s consider the winning partnership and vested interest. It is clear that as Synetic is able to maximize the remarketing of a particular asset, the more return each company will see on the bottom line. With every viable asset, a thorough and comprehensive Fair Market evaluation is completed. This evaluation considers all aspects of your assets.
Great care is taken to evaluate the cosmetics, the functionality via extensive testing, and the demand for the asset on the secondary market. The advantage that Synetic has in this arena is the ability to market these assets in a number of different channels. Other channels include partnering with school foundations for community sales, electronic auctions and bulk sales through various B2B relationships. Our revenue sharing model ensures that both parties have a monetary investment in getting the most return on each and every device.
How do you sell our assets?
Synetic Technologies has mature network of retail, B2B, wholesalers, e-commerce and Value Added partners that engage and buy from us on a daily basis. These partners have been individually selected based on their ethical business standards that match our own.
Do you offer a fixed fee for disposing of equipment that is no longer in working condition or has no market value?
We develop customized solutions for your requirements. Your solution includes certain criteria to achieve your core goals. Like any organization, there is a certain cost associated with performing services. Synetic’s focus is to build a process that serves your organization’s financial and environmental goals. Regardless of the audit and reporting mechanism, no process is circumvented when it comes to security and environmental standards. These elements are non-negotiable and represent the integral foundation of Synetic Technologies.
Tracking & Reporting FAQs
How long does it take to receive a certification of destruction/recycling and what data is included?
Some organizations like to have an initial inventory audit sent to them within a few days and the follow up certificate of destruction detailing each item within the time allotment noted above. We’re committed to meeting your needs.
Are the reports customizable to include the information we request?
Within our database, any multitude of fields can be captured and customized. This is where we start. Typically, our customers want asset tag numbers, OEM, model, make, serial number, recovery date, location, disposition, data eradication certification (if applicable) and ROI. We can customize information to suit your needs.
What reports are available to us? How often are they made available and in what format(s)?
All electronic asset reports are available to you and typically are provided in a database format (i.e. Excel). These reports are available anytime through the process and can be provided in incremental steps (i.e. audit reconciliation vs. final disposition).