Windows 10 EOL Reshapes IT Asset Disposition: Secure Sanitation & Value Recovery

Iron Mountain says the Windows 10 end-of-life is already reshaping IT asset disposition: secure data sanitization, higher volumes of device decommissioning, and a shift toward treating refresh cycles as strategic value-recovery opportunities rather than one-off disposal events.

Background​

Microsoft has set a firm end-of-support date for Windows 10: October 14, 2025. After that date Microsoft will no longer provide routine security updates, feature updates, or technical support for consumer editions of Windows 10. The company’s official lifecycle guidance directs customers to upgrade eligible devices to Windows 11, enroll in the new consumer Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for a limited bridge, or replace unsupported hardware. (support.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com)
That corporate deadline has real operational consequences. Many enterprises and institutions still run large fleets of Windows 10 endpoints; worldwide market tracking shows Windows 10 remained the dominant Windows version through much of 2025 in many regions, even as Windows 11 adoption grew. Independent market trackers and analyst estimates place Windows 10’s installed base in the tens or hundreds of millions of devices as the EOL date approaches, creating the potential for a sizeable surge in decommissioning and remarketing activity. (gs.statcounter.com)
At the same time, the global e-waste landscape is already strained: the UN’s Global E-waste Monitor reported a record ~62 million tonnes of e-waste generated in 2022 and warns the volume is rising faster than formal recycling capacity. That sets the environmental context for any mass device turnover that follows operating system sunsetting. (itu.int)

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What Iron Mountain is reporting — summary of the Q&A​

• Iron Mountain’s Asset Lifecycle Management (ALM) business is seeing increased inbound device volumes and customer interest in formal IT asset disposition programs as organizations prepare for Windows 10’s end-of-support. Customers are approaching the change not simply as a software upgrade but as a hardware lifecycle event that must be managed for security, value recovery, and sustainability.
• In its quarterly reporting cycle the company flagged very strong performance in ALM. Iron Mountain’s public results and investor materials show ALM as one of its fastest-growing growth businesses in 2025; management highlighted accelerated revenue from decommissioning and remarketing services and raised guidance on the back of that outperformance. Iron Mountain’s investor materials and slide decks quantify strong growth in ALM and say the company expects ALM revenue to be material in 2025 (company guidance and slides). (investors.ironmountain.com, sec.gov)
• Iron Mountain emphasizes a shift among enterprise customers toward earlier planning, integrating IT asset management (ITAM) platforms with full-service decommissioning workflows, and treating disposition as an opportunity to recover value and meet ESG commitments rather than only as a cost center.

These observations come directly from a Q&A with Rob Makin, senior vice president of commercial ALM at Iron Mountain, and align with Iron Mountain’s own investor disclosures about accelerated ALM revenue. However, the precise growth rate cited in secondary coverage can differ depending on the metric (quarterly vs. trailing, organic vs. reported), so the company’s formal filings are the authoritative source for exact percentages and revenue figures. (investors.ironmountain.com)

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Why this transition looks different from prior Windows sunsets​

1. Scale and penetration​

Windows 10’s footprint is unusually large. Even as Windows 11 adoption grew through 2023–2025, Windows 10 retained a substantial share of active Windows devices in many markets. A large installed base magnifies the operational and environmental effects of sunsetting. (gs.statcounter.com)

2. Hardware gating​

Windows 11 introduced stricter baseline hardware requirements (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and a list of approved processors among other minimums). That hardware gating means many perfectly functional machines cannot migrate in-place to Windows 11; they must either be placed on an ESU path, repurposed with alternate OSes (e.g., Linux or ChromeOS Flex), virtualized, or retired. Analysts estimate that a very large cohort of devices is incompatible with Windows 11, raising the possibility of significantly higher physical turnover than prior OS sunsets. (support.microsoft.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

3. Regulatory and compliance pressure​

Regulated industries (healthcare, finance, government, education) require supported operating systems for compliance. That regulatory angle adds urgency to enterprise migration or secure decommissioning plans—especially where legacy endpoints process regulated data. Iron Mountain’s ALM customers often cite compliance standards as primary drivers for secure disposal.

4. ESG and circular-economy pressure​

Public and investor-facing sustainability commitments have forced organizations to be more deliberate about disposal: tracking chain-of-custody, maximizing reuse/remarketing, and documenting environmental benefits. Asset disposition is now a visible ESG lever; that increases demand for end-to-end programs that can report on recovered value and carbon avoided. Iron Mountain positions ALM as an integrated solution for security, value recovery, and reporting.

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Verifiable financial context: Iron Mountain’s ALM growth​

Iron Mountain’s public financials for Q2 2025 show record revenue and material growth in its growth businesses. The company reported record quarterly revenue and said data center, digital, and ALM businesses collectively grew more than 30%. Company slides and the 10-Q / investor presentation expand on ALM specifically, noting the segment’s fast growth, the role of data-center decommissioning, and expected ALM revenue for 2025. The company’s press release and SEC presentation are the primary references for exact percentages. (investors.ironmountain.com, sec.gov)
A note on conflicting numbers: press coverage, analyst writeups, and interviews sometimes report different percentage figures depending on whether they cite quarter-over-quarter, year-over-year, organic growth, or compound metrics. Where precise percentages matter (for investor or procurement decisions), the company’s investor release and investor deck should be treated as the authoritative record. (investors.ironmountain.com, sec.gov)

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Operational implications for ITAD (IT Asset Disposition) providers and enterprise IT teams​

Secure data handling is non-negotiable​

• NIST’s media sanitization guidance (SP 800-88 Rev. 1) remains the reference standard for many governments and regulated organizations. Requirements include documented sanitization processes, validation of erasure or destruction, and retention of certificates of sanitization. The draft Rev. 2 of SP 800-88 (published for public comment in 2025) underscores the increased focus on programmatic sanitization, validation, and logical sanitization for cloud/hybrid environments. ITAD providers must maintain technical processes and documentation aligned to these standards. (csrc.nist.gov)
• For enterprises, the lesson is clear: don’t rely on a factory reset or user-level deletion as “secure” disposal. The chain-of-custody, validated sanitization, and certification are the minimal deliverables enterprise procurement will demand.

Volume management and logistics​

• Expect squeezed windows and seasonal peaks. Many customers will attempt to align refresh cycles with fiscal calendars or staff availability; that behavior produces localized surges that can overwhelm smaller refurbishers and recyclers.
• Integrating ITAM platforms with ALM/ITAD workflows pays off. Visibility (serial-level tracking, automated manifests, and reconciliation) reduces friction, increases remarketing yield, and reduces compliance risk. Iron Mountain and other large ALM providers emphasize integration as a key offering.

Remarketing and value recovery​

• Devices that cannot upgrade to Windows 11 are not necessarily worthless. There are robust secondary markets for refurbished laptops, Chromebooks (or devices repurposed with ChromeOS Flex), and parts recovery. ALM providers with global remarketing networks can extract more value by sorting, grading, repairing, and remarketing devices rather than immediately shredding or smelting them.
• Data center decommissioning adds an extra value layer: server components (memory, CPUs, modular power, storage media) can be remarketed to enterprises or hyperscale resellers. That’s a strategic difference versus past PC-only refresh waves and is a key reason ALM is reported as a growth engine for Iron Mountain. (sec.gov, ironmountain.com)

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Practical checklist for IT decision-makers (enterprise & mid-market)​

• Audit every endpoint now: hardware model, CPU generation, TPM presence, storage type, and application dependencies.
• Segment devices by risk and criticality: high-risk (regulated data), high-value (newer devices with aftermarket value), and legacy (near-end-of-life hardware).
• Integrate ITAM with ALM: enable serialized handoffs, automated manifests, and certificates of data destruction.
• Prioritize reuse before recycling: test for in-place Windows 11 upgrades, component upgrades (SSD, RAM), OS re-imaging, or ChromeOS Flex deployment where appropriate.
• If retiring, insist on validated sanitization and proof-of-destruction aligned to NIST SP 800‑88 guidance; retain certificates for audits. (csrc.nist.gov)

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Environmental and compliance considerations​

• The environmental stakes are significant: the UN Global E-waste Monitor shows e-waste volumes are already large and growing; formal recycling rates lag generation. Any mass replacement cycle amplifies the burden on recycling infrastructure unless organizations commit to reuse, remarketing, and certified recycling. (itu.int)
• Policy leverage: extended-producer-responsibility (EPR) frameworks, corporate buy-back programs, and certified take-back channels can ameliorate the environmental cost of hardware turnover. Organizations should demand—and document—responsible end-of-life handling from vendors. Evidence of reuse and resource recovery is increasingly a board-level ESG metric.

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Risks and caveats​

• Data and security risk: Unsupported systems are attractive targets for attackers. ESU can be a temporary mitigation but it is not a long-term replacement for a supported OS. Organizations that retain unsupported endpoints must implement compensating controls (network segmentation, application allow-lists, strict access controls) while planning migration. (support.microsoft.com)
• Market and pricing volatility: remarketing prices fluctuate. Supply surges (many OEM trade-in programs, merchant buybacks, and corporate refreshes happening at once) will depress secondary-market values in the short term. Timing and channel selection are critical to maximize yield.
• Conflicting growth numbers: media and analyst reporting may quote different percentage increases for ALM or other segments. These differences often reflect different denominators—quarterly vs. annual comparisons, organic vs. total, or segment accounting changes. For investment-grade decisions or procurement contracts, use the company’s SEC filings and investor presentations as the canonical numbers. Iron Mountain’s investor release and slides present the company’s official metrics and guidance. (investors.ironmountain.com, sec.gov)
• Legal and reputational exposure: a number of consumer and civic groups have contested Microsoft’s approach to the Windows 10 sunset on environmental and consumer-protection grounds; litigation and regulatory attention may continue to shape incentive structures and program mechanics. Organizations must carefully document their risk assessments and remediation choices. (pcgamer.com)

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How ITAD providers can adapt and differentiate​

• Offer validated, auditable sanitization protocols (aligned to NIST SP 800‑88) and issue serialized Certificates of Destruction or Sanitization.
• Provide integrated ITAM connectors (APIs) for automated manifests, chain-of-custody, and reconciliation to accelerate client workflows.
• Build multi-channel remarketing: refurbished consumer channels, corporate remarketers, data center parts buyers, and secure recyclable-material processors.
• Scale surge capacity with regional partners or temporary processing pods to avoid backlog-driven processing shortcuts that erode margins and compliance.
• Publish transparent ESG metrics (devices refurbished, material recovered, carbon avoided) to help enterprise customers meet sustainability reporting needs. Iron Mountain’s marketing and service descriptions emphasize these features as distinct competitive advantages. (ironmountain.com)

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Benchmarks and numbers worth watching (and verifying)​

• Windows 10 end-of-support: October 14, 2025 (Microsoft lifecycle page). (support.microsoft.com)
• Consumer ESU window (Microsoft public guidance): Microsoft has outlined consumer Extended Security Updates options that can bridge security updates for eligible devices for a limited period following October 14, 2025. The enrollment mechanics and free options (OneDrive sync / Microsoft Rewards) are described on Microsoft’s ESU pages. Verify enrollment deadlines and exact eligibility on Microsoft’s support pages. (learn.microsoft.com)
• Market share context: StatCounter and other market trackers published Windows-version share figures in 2025 showing Windows 10 remained widely installed in many regions as the EOL date approached; regional splits matter a lot for logistics planning. (gs.statcounter.com)
• E-waste context: The Global E-waste Monitor 2024 provides the best-available, global-scale context for disposal volumes and recycling rates. Use it to ground any sustainability planning. (itu.int)
• Iron Mountain financials: consult Iron Mountain’s Q2 2025 press release and investor slides for the definitive ALM growth numbers and company guidance. Public summaries show ALM among the fastest-growing segments; for contract negotiations or M&A diligence, use the issuer’s filings as the canonical source. (investors.ironmountain.com, sec.gov)

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Bottom line — what enterprises and ITAD buyers should take away​

• Treat the Windows 10 sunset as an operational program, not a single-day event. Build timelines, capacity plans, and procurement windows into budgets now.
• Prioritize secure, validated sanitization and auditable chain-of-custody to meet compliance and to protect organizational reputation.
• Seek vendors who can scale, integrate with your ITAM, and extract remarketing value—not vendors who simply recycle hardware. Value recovery materially offsets refresh costs and reduces environmental impact.
• Plan for supply-and-demand volatility in remarketing channels; stagger refreshes where possible to avoid dumping inventory into depressed secondary markets.
• Document sustainability outcomes—devices refurbished and materials recovered—because ESG reporting and regulation will increasingly require it.

Iron Mountain’s public statements and customer conversations reflect a fundamental shift: disposal is no longer a last-minute checkbox. It’s a strategic lifecycle event where data security, regulatory compliance, financial recovery, and sustainability converge. Organizations that plan early, integrate asset and disposal workflows, and insist on validated sanitization will minimize risk and capture the most value from their end-of-life assets. (investors.ironmountain.com)

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Conclusion
The October 14, 2025 Windows 10 end-of-life has catalyzed an operational rethink of device disposal. For enterprises, the choice is to plan and turn a compliance challenge into a value-recovery and sustainability program—or to react and accept higher security, financial, and reputational risk. Iron Mountain’s ALM business is one place buyers are turning for scale, validated sanitization, and integrated remarketing channels; the company’s Q2 reporting confirms that demand is real and material. As with any major lifecycle event, the best outcomes will go to organizations that start early, demand proof, and align disposal to a broader circular-economy strategy. (investors.ironmountain.com, itu.int, learn.microsoft.com)

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Source: Resource Recycling, Inc. Q&A: Iron Mountain on Windows 10 end-of-life