For years, the debate has focused on whether paper or digital records are better for the environment. But is that the right question to ask?

Paper can create waste and methane emissions if not recycled properly. Digital storage that feels weightless consumes large amounts of electricity and water in data centres. Both have costs, both obvious and hidden.

The real question is how those records are managed. When secure destruction, recycling, renewable power and responsible e-waste processes are built into the lifecycle, records management stops being a liability and becomes part of the circular economy. Done well, it proves that protecting information and protecting the planet can work together.

Paper’s environmental footprint

Australia still relies heavily on paper. The federal government’s National Waste and Resource Recovery Report 2024 shows that in 2022–23 the recovery rate for paper and cardboard sat a little over halfway, which means a large stream still ends up in landfill. That matters because decomposing paper produces methane, a short-term climate forcer far more potent than carbon dioxide.

The picture improves when fibre is recycled because recycling reduces demand for virgin pulp and lowers energy and water use versus manufacturing from virgin fibre. ZircoDATA ensures that every securely destroyed record is recycled, giving paper a genuine second life instead of being lost to landfill. This combination of security and sustainability is what turns records management into a positive force.

The cloud is not weightless

It is easy to imagine digital records floating without consequence, yet the infrastructure behind them is energy and water intensive. The International Energy Agency expects electricity demand from data centres to more than double by 2030 to roughly 945 terawatt-hours a year, a trend widely reported by Data Center Dynamics. Recognising this footprint helps organisations balance their digital programs with physical practices like secure destruction and recycling so the overall impact is reduced rather than shifted.

Renewable energy in records facilities

Solar power is one of the clearest levers to shrink the footprint of information infrastructure. The Australian Energy Council’s Solar Report for Q1 2025 estimates rooftop PV supplied about 15 percent of National Electricity Market generation for the quarter. That national share shows how much opportunity remains.

ZircoDATA has already acted on that opportunity. Record centres in New South Wales and Western Australia have on-site solar arrays powering operations. Building renewables into secure facilities shows that information can be protected while contributing to Australia’s clean energy transition.

E-waste and IT asset disposition

E-waste is Australia’s fastest growing waste stream and per-capita volumes are high. Industry coverage in Waste Management Review notes that less than about one in five items is effectively recycled. Recent analysis from ABC News places annual national e-waste generation around 500,000 tonnes, with recovery uneven across jurisdictions.

This is not only a materials problem. End-of-life devices also hold sensitive data. ZircoDATA’s IT asset disposition (ITAD) services close both gaps by ensuring devices are securely wiped, tracked and recycled so that metals, plastics and glass are recovered while information is permanently removed.

Destruction beyond recovery

Recycling sensitive data only works if the records are first destroyed beyond recovery. If information remains readable, privacy is at risk and fibre or device streams may not qualify for reuse.

That security foundation is a legal requirement as well as a sustainability enabler. Australian Privacy Principle 11 requires organisations to destroy or de-identify personal information when it is no longer needed. ZircoDATA’s accredited destruction processes guarantee that data cannot be reconstructed while also ensuring material can re-enter productive cycles safely.

Stewardship for a circular future

  • Paper records destroyed beyond recovery and recycled into clean fibre loops.
  • Record centres powered by renewable energy.
  • Devices processed through accredited ITAD programs.
  • Information management treated as both a compliance and an environmental responsibility.

This approach aligns with new disclosure rules. From 2025, large organisations are expected to provide climate-related sustainability reporting in Australia, and records management decisions influence those disclosures from emissions to waste. The federal Treasury consultation on climate-related financial disclosures outlines the framework that is being introduced.

Sustainable records management is no longer about choosing paper or digital. It is about ensuring both are handled responsibly. If your organisation wants a partner that treats information security and environmental responsibility as inseparable priorities, get in touch with ZircoDATA.