Router recycling
Whale Recycling collects discarded routers and network equipment for recycling or reuse, including certified destruction of all configurations.
Router recycling is the secure and responsible disposal of discarded routers. It comes down to three things at once: destroying data, recovering material and checking whether reuse is still possible. Many organisations have old routers lying around that end up in a cupboard somewhere, while company data is still on them. Whale Recycling takes that disposal off your hands, drawing on 100 years of recycling experience at Krommenhoek Metals.
Why router recycling is more than just throwing them away
Throwing away an old router looks harmless, but it is not. The memory often still holds configurations, passwords, VPN settings and routing details. Research by security firm ESET showed that discarded routers can hand over sensitive company information to the next owner. On top of that, a router is electronic waste. It does not belong with general waste, because the harmful substances put a strain on the environment and batteries can start fires during waste processing. Certified data destruction and responsible processing prevent both risks. Your data provably disappears and the materials get a second life.
“A discarded router keeps your passwords longer than you think”
What is inside a router?
A router contains more valuable material than you would think at first glance. Under the plastic housing sits a circuit board with copper and small amounts of precious metal, plus an aluminium frame. Sometimes there is a battery in there too. Here is what we recover:
- Circuit boards containing copper, gold and palladium
- Aluminium and other metals
- Plastic housing
- Batteries, processed separately and safely
By separating these parts, almost nothing is lost. In waste incineration those raw materials would disappear altogether. We process the harmful fractions separately and responsibly.
This is how we recycle your routers
Router recycling follows a fixed process with us. First we register your batch of equipment by serial number. Then we destroy the stored configurations and login details with certified methods, so no company data is left behind. Next we assess every router for reuse. Reuse comes first according to Lansink’s Ladder, and only when a device is too old or defective does it go to material recycling. Finally you receive a report listing the processed serial numbers, a certificate of destruction and an environmental certificate. With that you demonstrate during an audit or CSRD report exactly what happened to your routers. You do not have to do a thing.
Disposing of routers and other network equipment
Routers rarely come alone. During a replacement or a move you often want to get rid of switches, firewalls, access points and old modems as well. All of that can go in a single batch, so you do not have to split anything out. Alongside network equipment we also recycle other IT equipment, from tablets to printers. Do you have current network equipment that still works well? Then buyback is often more attractive than recycling, because well-known brands such as Cisco and Juniper hold their residual value. We take the whole job off your hands, from inventory to final report.
Free collection service and certified processing
Having your routers collected costs you nothing from 200 kilos, anywhere in the Netherlands. We arrange the packaging, the transport and all documentation. Whale Recycling is fully certified: we hold WEEELABEX, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Once we are done you receive the documents you need: an environmental certificate, a certificate of destruction and a transport document. Everything your records, a security audit or your CSRD report asks for, you can supply straight away. Do you want to have old routers recycled? Request a no-obligation quote and we will take the rest off your hands.
