How to Dispose of Printers and Photocopiers
Key takeaways
- Printers and photocopiers are WEEE and cannot go in general waste.
- Multifunction devices contain hard drives storing scanned and printed documents.
- Internal drives must be wiped or destroyed under UK GDPR.
- Toner and ink cartridges need responsible, separate recycling.
- Leased copiers must be returned in line with the lease terms.
- A Waste Transfer Note is required for every collection.
Knowing how to dispose of office printers and photocopiers properly is essential, because modern multifunction devices are effectively computers with hard drives that store every document they scan, copy or print. They are WEEE, they often contain consumables that need special handling, and they carry a genuine data-protection risk. This guide covers secure, compliant printer and copier disposal for UK businesses.
The hidden hard drive in your photocopier
It surprises many businesses, but most modern multifunction printers (MFPs) and photocopiers contain an internal hard drive that stores images of documents passed through them. Over a device's life that can amount to a vast archive of confidential material — invoices, contracts, HR records and more. Disposing of a copier without addressing that drive is a serious data risk.
Because these devices sit quietly in corridors and print rooms, the data they accumulate is easily forgotten. Yet the ICO treats personal data on a copier drive exactly as it would data on a laptop, so the same disposal obligations apply.
The reason these images persist is straightforward: to handle large jobs and features such as scan-to-email, secure print release and collation, the device spools each page to its internal storage. Unless that storage is overwritten, the latent images remain even after the job has printed. This is why secure copier disposal has to begin with the drive — a device that has photographed thousands of sensitive pages is, in data-protection terms, simply another data-bearing computer leaving your premises.
Securing data before disposal
Before any printer or copier leaves your premises, its stored data needs to be dealt with — not just the document images, but the settings and contacts the device holds.
Wiping or removing the drive
The internal drive should be securely wiped to a recognised standard or physically removed and destroyed. Many manufacturers provide a data-overwrite or image-clearance function, but for sensitive data, certified destruction with a Certificate of Destruction is the safest route.
Do not forget memory and settings
Devices also retain stored fax numbers, address books, scan-to-email credentials and network settings. Clearing these as part of disposal prevents inadvertent disclosure of contacts and access details that could be used to reach into your systems.
Handling toner, ink and consumables
Toner and ink cartridges should not go in general waste. They are recycled through dedicated streams, and many can be remanufactured. Removing and recycling consumables separately keeps your disposal clean and responsible.
Waste toner bottles, drums and fuser units are also recyclable and should be included rather than binned. Handling consumables correctly avoids contaminating other waste streams and supports your zero-to-landfill goals.
Owned versus leased devices
How you dispose of a printer depends on whether you own it outright or hold it on a lease, but the data responsibility sits with you either way.
Devices you own
Owned printers and copiers can be collected and recycled directly. Ensure the drive is cleared, remove and recycle consumables, and keep your Waste Transfer Note as proof of compliant disposal.
Leased devices
Leased copiers must usually be returned to the leasing company under the contract. Even so, you remain the data controller, so arrange secure data clearance before the device leaves your premises and obtain evidence that the drive was dealt with.
Step-by-step printer and copier disposal
A clear sequence keeps the job compliant and ensures the data, consumables and hardware are all handled correctly.
- Identify whether each device is owned or leased
- Locate and clear the internal hard drive securely
- Remove and recycle toner and ink cartridges separately
- Clear stored address books, fax numbers and credentials
- Book collection with a registered WEEE recycler
- Keep the Waste Transfer Note and any Certificate of Destruction
Common mistakes with copier disposal
A few recurring errors turn a routine disposal into a data-protection problem. They are easy to avoid once you know to look for them.
- Returning a leased copier without wiping its drive
- Assuming a basic factory reset clears stored document images
- Putting toner cartridges in general waste or recycling
- Leaving scan-to-email credentials saved on the device
- Failing to keep proof that the drive was dealt with
Recycling and material recovery
Printers and copiers contain metals, plastics and electronic components that are recovered once the device is dismantled. A zero-to-landfill ethos ensures these materials are reprocessed rather than discarded, while functional devices may be refurbished for reuse.
Larger floor-standing copiers in particular contain significant amounts of steel and recoverable components, which is part of what makes free collection viable for qualifying volumes.
Sector risks: where copier data exposure hurts most
Every organisation has confidential paperwork, but in some sectors the contents of a copier's drive are especially sensitive. Legal firms scan client files and case papers; accountants and finance teams pass through invoices, statements and payroll; HR departments copy contracts, references and health information. Each of those documents may leave an image on the internal drive.
Healthcare and public-sector bodies face the highest stakes, because special-category data such as medical records attracts particular scrutiny from the ICO. For these organisations, a documented data-overwrite followed by certified wiping or physical destruction of the drive — backed by a Certificate of Destruction — is the proportionate response to the risk.
Planning a fleet of printers for disposal
Replacing a whole estate of printers and multifunction devices is a project in its own right, particularly across multiple sites or floors. Start with an inventory that records each device, whether it is owned or leased, and whether it contains an internal drive, so nothing is overlooked when the time comes to clear data.
Coordinating data clearance and collection
Agree in advance who is responsible for clearing each drive — your IT team, the manufacturer's engineer, or the recycler on collection — and how that will be evidenced. Consolidating devices for a single collection, or staged pickups timed to your rollout, keeps the job efficient and ensures every unit is documented on a Waste Transfer Note.
Step-by-step: clearing an MFP hard drive safely
The safest approach to multifunction printer hard drive data is a layered one — use the manufacturer's tools first, then back them with certified action for anything sensitive. The sequence below works whether you are retiring a single desktop unit or a floor-standing copier.
- Check the manufacturer's manual for the data-overwrite or image-clearance feature
- Run a full overwrite cycle rather than a quick reset, where the option exists
- Clear stored address books, fax numbers and scan-to-email credentials
- For sensitive devices, have the drive certified-wiped or physically removed and destroyed
- Request a Certificate of Destruction for any drive holding personal data
- Record the device serial number against your disposal paperwork
What to expect on collection day
Printer and copier collection is generally straightforward, but a little coordination helps it run smoothly, particularly for heavier floor-standing devices. Confirm access in advance — lift availability, doorway widths and where the device sits — so the team can plan porterage. Large copiers are weighty and awkward, so an agreed route from the print room to the vehicle avoids delays on the day.
A registered upper-tier waste carrier will load the devices, separate consumables for the correct recycling streams and issue a Waste Transfer Note for the consignment. Where internal drives have been retained for in-house clearance, set those aside beforehand and agree whether the recycler is handling destruction. Out-of-hours slots can usually be arranged so that removing a busy print room device does not interrupt the working day.
Budgeting and what is included
For qualifying volumes, usually a copier or printer fleet combined with other IT to reach around 10 items, collection is free, with the Waste Transfer Note and basic certified wiping included as standard rather than billed as extras. Where a single, very heavy floor-standing copier needs significant additional labour, any charge is explained up front so there are no surprises. The cost of the service is otherwise recovered through responsible recycling of the recoverable steel, plastics and components.
How Ewaste.org.uk handles printer disposal
Ewaste.org.uk collects printers, multifunction devices and photocopiers nationwide as a registered upper-tier waste carrier. Internal drives are securely wiped or physically destroyed with a Certificate of Destruction on request, consumables are recycled through the correct streams, and every collection includes a Waste Transfer Note.
For qualifying volumes, usually combined with other IT to reach around 10 items, collection is free and everything is processed to a zero-to-landfill ethos. To book a collection or discuss a fleet of devices, call 020 4524 7964.
Compliance considerations
Because copiers combine WEEE, consumables and stored data, documentation is important. A Waste Transfer Note evidences compliant disposal, and a Certificate of Destruction covers the data on the internal drive — both worth keeping for audits.
For leased fleets, keep evidence of data clearance alongside any return paperwork from the leasing company, so you can demonstrate that you met your duties as data controller before the device went back.
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Frequently asked questions
Do office photocopiers really have hard drives?
Most modern multifunction printers and photocopiers do. They store images of scanned, copied and printed documents, so the drive must be wiped or destroyed before disposal.
How do I clear data from a copier before disposal?
Use the device's data-overwrite function, then have the drive certified-wiped or physically removed and destroyed for sensitive data, with a Certificate of Destruction kept on file.
Can toner cartridges go in general recycling?
No. Toner and ink cartridges are recycled through dedicated streams and many can be remanufactured. They should be removed and recycled separately, along with drums and waste-toner bottles.
What about leased photocopiers?
Leased devices are returned to the leasing company under the contract, but you remain the data controller, so secure the internal drive before the device leaves and keep evidence it was done.
Is printer disposal free for businesses?
For qualifying volumes, usually combined with other IT, collection is free with a Waste Transfer Note included. Large floor-standing copiers can be included subject to access being agreed.
Does a factory reset remove stored document images?
Not always. A basic reset may not securely overwrite the document images on the internal drive, so a recognised data-overwrite function or certified wiping or destruction is the reliable route.
What data does a copier hold besides documents?
Copiers also store address books, fax numbers, scan-to-email credentials and network settings. These should be cleared as part of disposal to prevent inadvertent disclosure.
How do I dispose of a heavy floor-standing copier?
Confirm access in advance — lift availability, doorway widths and the route to the vehicle — so the team can plan porterage. A registered upper-tier waste carrier can collect large copiers and issue a Waste Transfer Note, and any charge for significant extra labour is explained up front.
Which sectors face the biggest copier data risk?
Legal, finance, HR, healthcare and the public sector pass especially sensitive material through their copiers, including special-category data such as medical records. For these organisations, a documented data-overwrite plus certified wiping or physical destruction, backed by a Certificate of Destruction, is the proportionate response.