Advancing Sustainable Storage: The Impact of the Circular Economy, Media Sanitization Policies, and Carbon Accounting - ERP Spain.com - España y América Latina

As data storage demands continue to surge, the environmental impact of storage solutions has become a critical concern. This talk explores how the circular economy can reshape the storage industry for greater sustainability. The Circular Drive Initiative exemplifies how rethinking the lifecycle of storage devices—from design to end-of-life—can lead to significant environmental benefits. A key aspect of this transformation is robust media sanitization. By following stringent guidelines for securely erasing data on SSDs and HDDs, we enable device reuse and extend operational life, reducing e-waste and the need for new materials. This approach involves assessing data sensitivity, selecting appropriate sanitization methods like clearing, purging, or destroying data, and ensuring compliance with standards like IEEE 2883-2022 and ISO/IEC 27040:2024. We will discuss best practices in media sanitization, including cryptographic erase, block erase, and overwrite techniques. The importance of generating certificates of sanitization to provide proof of compliance and enhance transparency will be highlighted, along with the roles of organizations like SERI R2 and ADISA in setting industry standards for IT asset disposition. Additionally, we’ll examine how carbon accounting can help measure and reduce the environmental impact of storage solutions, aligning with global sustainability goals. By integrating circular economy principles, adopting rigorous media sanitization policies, and applying precise carbon accounting, the storage industry can significantly reduce its ecological footprint, inspiring stakeholders to create a sustainable future for technology infrastructure.