When a new copier arrives, the old one usually ends up in a corridor or a storeroom while somebody works out what to do with it. Two things make that harder than it looks: the machine probably holds company data, and in Dubai it counts as e-waste with its own disposal route.
The short version: check who owns the machine, deal with the data on its drive, take off anything you want to keep, then dispose of it through Dubai Municipality's permit system to a DM-accredited recycler, or hand it back to whoever it belongs to.
Before anything else, find the paperwork. A leased or rented copier belongs to the leasing company or supplier, so it goes back to them under the contract's return terms. It isn't yours to sell or scrap. A machine you bought outright is yours to sell, give away or dispose of. See buying versus leasing a copier for how the two differ.
Most office copiers have a hard drive or SSD that can hold scanned documents, stored jobs, address books and logs. Whatever happens to the machine next, handle the data first:
Dubai Municipality's Technical Guideline No. 9, Recyclable Waste Materials (Version 5, released 12 December 2021) lists electric and electronic equipment (e-waste) among the recyclable waste materials it covers. It sets out how a business, as the waste generator, sends those materials to a DM-accredited recycler:
Where waste is classed as hazardous, the guideline says only DM-approved hazardous waste transporters with a valid DM permit may carry it to the recycler.
This route is Dubai's. Other emirates have their own waste authorities and procedures, so a business in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or the Northern Emirates should check with its local authority.
File the data-wipe confirmation, the final meter reading, the DM permit and the disposal or destruction certificate together. If anyone later asks what happened to the machine or the data on it, the answer is in one place.
If we are replacing your copier, tell us early. We can plan the handover with you: settings copied to the new machine, the old machine's data dealt with before it leaves, and the timing arranged so you aren't left without a printer. See Ricoh copiers or contact us.
Based on Dubai Municipality's published guideline as checked on 4 November 2026. Disposal rules are set by Dubai Municipality and other emirates' authorities and can change. Confirm the current permit process, fees and approved recyclers with the relevant authority before you dispose of equipment. This article is general information published by Gtech FZE, not legal advice, and creates no obligation. Your duties under data protection law depend on your circumstances; take advice from a qualified adviser. Ricoh and Ricoh product names are trademarks of Ricoh Company, Ltd. To the extent permitted by UAE law, Gtech FZE accepts no liability for decisions taken on the basis of this article.
Deal with the data on its drive first. Then, under Dubai Municipality Technical Guideline No. 9, a business applies for a waste disposal permit at waste.dm.gov.ae (with UAE PASS or a DM user ID), attaching photos and an acceptance letter from a DM-accredited recycler. Once approved, it sends the permit to the recycler to arrange collection and keeps the destruction and disposal certificates.
No. A leased or rented copier belongs to the leasing company or supplier and goes back to them under the contract's return terms. Ask them how the drive will be wiped or removed and get it confirmed in writing.
Often, yes. Many multifunction printers have a hard drive or SSD that can hold scanned documents, stored jobs, address books and logs. Use the machine's erase features or have the drive wiped or removed before it leaves your control.
Dubai Municipality publishes its approved lists on its Waste Management Department page, under its information bulletins. Use DM's current list rather than a list copied onto another website.
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