Overview
Celebrate Earth Month and get some spring cleaning done at the same time!
On April 21, Dornsife faculty and staff are invited to participate in Dornsife Tech Takeback Day: bring your outdated or unneeded IT equipment to SHS 266 for donation and recycling, and grab a snack while you’re here. No appointment is needed.
Below, we provide more details about the program, which is a partnership between DTS and the nonprofit Human-I-T.
Eligible equipment for recycling
Dornsife faculty and staff can bring in both personal equipment and USC-owned equipment for recycling on Tech Takeback Day. Eligible items for recycling include:
- Desktops, laptops, tablets, and cell phones
- Desk and office phones (models prior to Zoom phone migration)
- Computer peripherals including keyboards, mouses, and monitors
- Printers and scanners
- And more! View the complete list of accepted items
Items that are not eligible include (but are not limited to): appliances, lightbulbs, and household batteries.
Before you bring in devices containing your data or files
Any data still stored on your devices will be completely erased as part of the recycling process (see "How data sanitization works" below).
Personal devices
- Make sure to back up any data before bringing your devices in for recycling: DTS is unable to perform services on personally-owned equipment and personal accounts
USC-owned devices
- If you need to backup or transfer data from the device before recycling it, please email us at ts@dornsife.usc.edu in advance to schedule this: due to staffing limitations, we are unable to perform backups or transfers on the spot
How data sanitization works
To ensure that your information is completely erased from your donated equipment, our partner Human-I-T performs Department of Defense, NIST 800-88 and HIPAA compliant data sanitization.
Here's an overview of the process:
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Transportation and storage: Devices are transported and locked inside a secure facility while awaiting processing
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Hard drive data sanitization: Existing data is overwritten with random data to destroy leftover data, and the device is then rescanned to verify all data has been wiped
- All data is erased, including NTFS, FAT/exFAT, HFS+ volumes, file slack space, free clusters, and deleted MFT records on NTFS and Directory system records on FAT/exFAT
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Physical crushing: In the event that software-based methods cannot verify absolute data destruction, the device is physically crushed and then responsibly recycled via an R2 certified organization
How donation receipts are handled
If you are recycling personal equipment, an itemized, tax-deductible receipt is available. You will receive a charitable donation receipt in addition to a certificate of data destruction for your donations.
How to recycle Dornsife IT equipment before and after Tech Takeback Day
Personal equipment will not be accepted outside of Tech Takeback Day. However, if you want to recycle Dornsife-managed IT equipment, you can submit a request for e-waste collection anytime, and DTS will work with you to schedule pickup from your office.
Just make sure to review our guidance for saving files to cloud storage and signing out of your iCloud/Apple ID prior to recycling:
Additional FAQs
Where is DTS? How do I get to SHS 266?
Click for printable directions (opens in a PDF)
Where can I park near SHS 266?
The closest parking options to SHS 266 are:
- Downey Way Parking Structure
- Flower Street Parking Structure
- Royal Street Parking Structure
Parking rates vary depending on time and day: refer to USC Transportation Services for rates and availability.
Please note that the parking spaces near the loading dock north of SHS are not available to the public. Parking in these spaces can result in a citation.
Can you help me transport equipment to SHS 266?
Due to limited staff availability, we may not have anybody available to assist with transporting items to our office. We recommend only bringing what you can transport on your own.
Do I have to go to SHS 266? Can I request equipment pick-up from my office or home?
Personal equipment
- Must be dropped off and will only be accepted during Tech Takeback Day on April 21
USC-owned equipment
- Can be dropped off at SHS 266 on April 21, or
- Picked up from any on-campus (UPC) office before or after April 21
Can someone else drop off equipment on my behalf?
Yes, you are welcome to send someone to drop off your equipment. They do need to notify us that they are bringing the equipment on your behalf so we can list the correct contact information on the charitable donation receipt.
Do I have to make an appointment to come to SHS 266?
No appointment is needed if you are dropping off equipment anytime between 10am–4pm on April 21.
Will refreshments be served?
Yes, DTS will provide snacks and beverages to those that donate equipment.
Is my donation tax-deductible?
Yes, your personal equipment donations are tax-deductible. You will receive a charitable donation receipt in addition to a certificate of data destruction for your donations.
What will happen to donated equipment?
Your items are donated to Human-I-T and transported to their facility where they perform complementary and secure data sanitization (DOD, NIST, and HIPAA compliant). Devices are then refurbished and distributed to the community to help students and families in need. Broken items are fixed or repurposed for parts to get optimal use from each donation. Items that cannot be reused are responsibly recycled by R2 certified recycler.
Your donation connects a family to technology, internet, and digital training while diverting e-waste from landfills.
How do I donate equipment directly to Human-I-T?
Personal equipment
USC-owned equipment
- USC-owned equipment must be recycled through DTS rather than directly to Human-I-T
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Submit a request for pick-up, and DTS will work with you to schedule pick-up from your office
About our partner, Human-I-T
For this event, we are partnering with Human-I-T, a nonprofit which repairs and repurposes equipment to provide local communities with technology, internet connections, and training programs.
To date, USC’s partnership with Human-I-T has diverted more than one million pounds of useful technology from landfills and repurposed them to underserved families and individuals who need them.