Electronic End of Life: How to Prove Compliance in Multinational Operations

Regulatory compliance in electronic end-of-life in multinational operations

The end of life of electronic assets in multinational operations requires strict control to ensure compliance with current environmental and information security legislation. Brazilian legislation, notably Law No. 13,826/2019, regulates the management of solid waste, including electronic waste, imposing obligations regarding proper disposal and documentary proof.

Standards and guidelines applicable to electronic disposal

Besides federal legislation, technical standards from NIST SP 800-88 (Guidelines for Media Sanitization) guide procedures for the secure elimination of data on electronic devices such as hard drives and storage media. For suitability and documentation of the safe disposal of these media, it is recommended to follow recognized international standards that demonstrate proper sanitization, minimizing the risk of confidential information leakage.

Procedures to prove compliance

Documentary evidence is essential to validate compliance. This includes the issuance and archiving of destruction certificates, destination invoices, and contracts signed with specialized service providers. This documentation must be auditable and made available in internal governance processes and external audits, allowing traceability and transparency.

Electronic waste management in multinational operations

To manage the correct and environmentally appropriate disposal of obsolete equipment, devices, and electronic components, the hiring of specialized electronic waste collection services is recommended. These services ensure compliance with environmental standards established by the National Information System on Solid Waste Management (SINIR) and state regulations such as those of CETESB.

Secure media sanitization and data protection

For the secure disposal of storage units, it is essential to employ hard drive and electronic media sanitization techniques in accordance with national and international technical standards. Proper sanitization prevents improper data reuse and meets the requirements of the General Data Protection Law (Law No. 13,709/2018) and other information security regulations.

Challenges and recommendations for multinationals

Multinational operations face the complexity of regulatory diversity across different jurisdictions. To ensure compliance with electronic end-of-life, it is recommended to implement harmonized standard policies that consider local legislation, periodic training for those responsible, and the use of integrated systems for documentary control and disposal inventory.

Alignment with certified suppliers and the execution of internal audits are essential to ensure complete traceability of actions and the mitigation of environmental and legal risks.