Data Sanitization & Destruction Policy

Purpose

Free Geek Chicago is committed to protecting the privacy and security of any data contained on donated electronic devices and media. This policy describes how data-bearing storage is handled before refurbished equipment is resold, or before non-recoverable media is recycled.

Scope

This policy applies to all data-bearing devices and media accepted through our donation programs (individual, school, or business), including but not limited to:

• Desktop and laptop hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD)
• Servers and server storage
• Removable and external storage media (USB drives, external HDDs/SSDs, memory cards)
• Mobile devices and tablets
• Devices with internal storage — network printers, copiers, routers, NAS units

Sanitization Process

• Intake & Logging — All donated devices are logged on intake and held securely until processed. Nothing is queued for resale until sanitization is confirmed complete.
• Data Wiping — Hard disk drives (HDD) are wiped using a multi-pass overwrite via Apple Disk Utility. SATA solid-state drives (SSD) are sanitized using ATA Secure Erase. Drives that cannot be sanitized through a verified method are not resold.
• Verification — Wiped drives are spot-checked to confirm no recoverable data remains before equipment is approved for resale.
• Physical Destruction — Drives and media that cannot be sanitized through a verified method, fail sanitization, or are beyond functional repair are physically destroyed by our e-waste recycling partner rather than resold.
• Chain of Custody — Devices remain on-site from intake through sanitization; no donated device is released for resale before this process is complete.

Standards

Our sanitization procedures are guided by the framework in NIST Special Publication 800-88 Rev. 1, Guidelines for Media Sanitization — the U.S. government's baseline standard for clearing, purging, and destroying data on electronic media.

Certificates of Destruction

Business and bulk donors may request a written Certificate of Destruction confirming the device(s) donated, date received, and confirmation that data was sanitized prior to resale or that the media was physically destroyed.

Donor Responsibility

We sanitize all data-bearing media as a standard part of our process. We still recommend donors back up anything they want to keep and de-authorize linked accounts (Find My, cloud backup, DRM-locked software) before donating, especially for mobile devices.

Limitations

Free Geek Chicago is a small, volunteer-supported nonprofit and is not a NAID AAA-certified data destruction vendor. This policy reflects our internal process, not a substitute for a certified third-party destruction service. Donors with heightened regulatory obligations (HIPAA, FERPA, etc.) should confirm this process meets their compliance needs before donating regulated media.

Contact

Questions about this policy, or to request a Certificate of Destruction: info@freegeekchi.org