How to dispose electronics

Hot on the holiday gift list again this year is a wide range of electronic devices that will leave a lot of people wondering what to do with their old laptops, cell phones and iPods after Santa has left them the new stuff.

The last thing you should do is throw the old electronics in the trash.

This warehouse is an electronics graveyard -- piles of old computers, unwanted PDA's, and outdated blackberries end up here.

Although they may not be in proper working order - the mass of electronic parts are very much alive, containing billions of pieces of information that could put innocent people at risk.

And it's not just computers - even a cell phone or an iPod can contain information useful to thieves.

"Social security numbers, bank account numbers, passwords, e-mail addresses, phone numbers," said Peter Hoang, Techno Rescue.

Since identify theft is the fastest growing crime in the country, more companies like Colorado-based Techno Rescue, specialize in electronic waste disposal.

"The end affect is by the time we're finished with it there will be absolutely nothing left on it,” said Hoang.

Here they use Department of Defense standards for electronic cleansing.  They point out that just wiping clean the software and hard drive isn't enough.  Fragments of information will remain that only a high level electronic cleanse can remove.  And there's one other method.

"The safest way frankly is take a hammer and destroy the thing," said Bob Sullivan, MSNBC electronics reporter.

But even that could be risky if it's not completely destroyed.

"From an information standpoint you know how to shred paper, then you should also know how to take care of your electronics," said Andrew Miller, Techno Rescue.

Since electronic equipment contains hazardous materials, some states have stiff penalties for improper disposal.

Companies have faced fines up to $25,000 per incident, per day, for illegal dumping.

So, when it's in the with new and out with the old, for personal security, it pays to consider how to safely get rid of unwanted electronic gear.