For many companies, the best solution for getting rid of old personal computers is to donate them to schools, churches, or other organizations. But while donating old desktops to tax-exempt organizations is a great idea, donating your corporate data isn't.

When it comes time to purchase new computers, how do you decide what to do with the old hardware? This is a growing concern for organizations, particularly when you consider the rate at which new technology makes its way to the market. The problem has even spawned its own buzzword, e-waste.

For many companies, the best solution is to recycle old personal computers, donating them to schools, churches, or other organizations. While this approach is good for the environment, your corporate image, and a worthy cause, that doesn't necessarily mean your corporate security will fare as well.

Donating old desktops to tax-exempt organizations is a great idea, but donating your corporate data isn't. Before donating or trashing your old computers, you need to take several steps to make sure that is all you are discarding.

Unless you have been using your computers to store nuclear secrets, trademark secrets, or some other top-secret data, the following steps should be sufficient to ensure your own corporate secrets stay safe. First, let's look at what you don't need to worry about.

Memory
You don't need to crush or destroy the computer's memory. Turning off the computer automatically clears the random access memory (RAM).

Monitor
At one time, people used to degauss (i.e., neutralize the magnetic field) the computer's monitor to ensure the removal of any remnant images. With today's monitors, however, this is no longer necessary.

Printers
If your printer uses a ribbon, you can throw it away or burn it if you're really paranoid. Otherwise, there's no need to disassemble the printer and throw away good ink cartridges.

Hard drives
This is the only area that requires special attention. Hard drives should receive a low-level format. And if the data is particularly sensitive, take the drive apart and grind the platters.