Certified data destruction means you get written proof that the data on every device you handed over is gone. WMG Waste eRecycling issues a certificate of data destruction for each device, logged by serial number, whether the drive was wiped with NIST 800-88 compliant methods or physically shredded or crushed. That certificate is what you show an auditor.
What does a certificate of data destruction contain?
The certificate is built around serial numbers. Each device is logged when it enters our chain of custody, and that same serial number appears on the certificate together with how its data was destroyed: NIST 800-88 compliant wiping, shredding or crushing. Because every line carries a serial number, you can match it directly against your own asset register.
The certificate sits alongside two other documents we supply: an itemized receipt after collection and a recycling report once processing is complete. Read together, they show a device leaving your building, being sanitized and having its materials recovered through WEEELABEX certified recycling.
Why do auditors ask for destruction certificates?
Under GDPR, your organization has to be able to show that personal data was handled properly for its whole life, including the day the hardware was retired. “We sent it to a recycler” is a statement. A certificate listing serial numbers is evidence, and auditors look for exactly that difference.
When an old laptop or server disk comes up in a data protection review, the questions are simple: where is it now, and can you prove the data cannot be recovered? A certificate per device answers both without anyone having to dig through emails. The same paperwork supports WEEE compliance checks, since it shows the equipment was processed properly and did not end up in general waste.
How does chain of custody back up the certificate?
A certificate is only as reliable as the tracking behind it. We track every item from collection to final processing, so the certificate reflects what happened to each individual device rather than a weight or a pallet count. Because you receive an itemized receipt right after collection, you can check it against your own inventory straight away and raise any gaps early.
Which devices can be certified?
Anything that stores data: desktop and laptop drives, server disks, phones and tablets, and small media such as USB sticks, backup tapes and memory cards. If drives are not allowed to leave your building, we can handle them through on-site data destruction and you receive the same certificate.
Tell us roughly how many devices you have and what types. Request a free quote and we will reply within 24 hours.