# Decommissioning

*/Activities/Decommissioning*

GS1 EPCIS business step: decommission objects. Sets disposition to Inactive via a ObjectEvent. Typically occurs at a recycling center.

## Overview

Decommissioning marks the end of a traceable asset's lifecycle in a supply chain network. Facilities like recycling centers and e-waste processors log an event that flips a specific item's digital status to inactive in global registries. This severs the link between the physical object and its active digital twin, signaling that the item is destroyed, recycled, or permanently retired.

The recurring manual labor lies in identifying mixed, damaged, or unreadable items arriving in bulk at disposal sites. Operators scan degraded barcodes, read faulty RFID tags, or manually input serial numbers to reconcile physical pallets with inbound manifests. Discrepancies create administrative bottlenecks, requiring workers to hunt down missing product histories or flag improper disposal of restricted components before the decommissioning event triggers.

This process provides fertile ground for headless software and computer vision applications. Vision models identify degraded assets based on physical characteristics when tags fail, feeding matching engines that automatically construct and broadcast the decommissioning payloads. Software agents consume recycling manifests, cross-reference environmental compliance requirements, and update enterprise resource planning systems to close regulatory audits.

## Breakdown

### Decommissioning Facilities
- [Recycling Centers](/Activities/Decommissioning/CompanyTypes/Recycling_Centers) — processes end-of-life materials
- [ITAD Facilities](/Activities/Decommissioning/CompanyTypes/ITAD_Facilities) — IT asset disposition
- [Electronics Recyclers](/Activities/Decommissioning/CompanyTypes/Electronics_Recyclers) — e-waste processing
- [Scrap Yards](/Activities/Decommissioning/CompanyTypes/Scrap_Yards) — metal and vehicle salvage
- [Waste Management Plants](/Activities/Decommissioning/CompanyTypes/Waste_Management_Plants) — general disposal operations

### Decommissioned Assets
- [Medical Devices](/Activities/Decommissioning/Products/Medical_Devices) — expired or recalled equipment
- [IT Hardware](/Activities/Decommissioning/Products/IT_Hardware) — servers and computing devices
- [Returnable Transport Items](/Activities/Decommissioning/Products/Returnable_Transport_Items) — damaged pallets or totes
- [Industrial Machinery](/Activities/Decommissioning/Products/Industrial_Machinery) — obsolete manufacturing equipment
- [Fleet Vehicles](/Activities/Decommissioning/Products/Fleet_Vehicles) — retired transport assets

### Executing Roles
- [Asset Managers](/Activities/Decommissioning/Occupations/Asset_Managers) — oversees lifecycle termination
- [Recycling Technicians](/Activities/Decommissioning/Occupations/Recycling_Technicians) — handles physical breakdown
- [Inventory Analysts](/Activities/Decommissioning/Occupations/Inventory_Analysts) — updates system records
- [Compliance Officers](/Activities/Decommissioning/Occupations/Compliance_Officers) — ensures proper disposal
- [Disposition Specialists](/Activities/Decommissioning/Occupations/Disposition_Specialists) — manages salvage processes

### Decommissioning Processes
- [Asset Disposition](/Activities/Decommissioning/Processes/Asset_Disposition) — formal retirement of assets
- [Data Destruction](/Activities/Decommissioning/Processes/Data_Destruction) — wiping sensitive information
- [Material Recovery](/Activities/Decommissioning/Processes/Material_Recovery) — salvaging reusable components
- [Inventory Reconciliation](/Activities/Decommissioning/Processes/Inventory_Reconciliation) — updating system ledgers
- [Hazardous Waste Disposal](/Activities/Decommissioning/Processes/Hazardous_Waste_Disposal) — safe removal of toxins

### Tracking Systems
- [EPCIS Repositories](/Activities/Decommissioning/Software/EPCIS_Repositories) — logs object events
- [IT Asset Management](/Activities/Decommissioning/Software/IT_Asset_Management) — tracks hardware lifecycles
- [Enterprise Resource Planning](/Activities/Decommissioning/Software/Enterprise_Resource_Planning) — manages corporate inventory
- [Compliance Tracking Software](/Activities/Decommissioning/Software/Compliance_Tracking_Software) — records disposal certificates

## Diagrams

```mermaid
flowchart TD; A[Asset Intake] --> B[Identify EPC]; B --> C[Generate ObjectEvent]; C --> D[Set Disposition to Inactive]; D --> E[Update EPCIS Database]; E --> F[Physical Recycling];
```

```mermaid
sequenceDiagram; participant R as Recycling Center; participant E as EPCIS System; R->>E: POST ObjectEvent (Decommission); E->>E: Change Disposition to Inactive; E-->>R: 200 OK; R->>R: Initiate Physical Destruction;
```

## Neighborhood

### Children

- [Acquiring Decommissioned Hardware](/Activities/Acquiring_Decommissioned_Hardware) — children · Activities
- [Assign disposition for reuse or scrap](/Activities/Assign_disposition_for_reuse_or_scrap) — children · Activities
- [Auditing and Grading Decommissioned Hardware for Resale](/Activities/Auditing_and_Grading_Decommissioned_Hardware_for_Resale) — children · Activities
- [Bidding on and Clearing Whole Office Decommissions](/Activities/Bidding_on_and_Clearing_Whole_Office_Decommissions) — children · Activities
- [Collecting Sanitizing and Remarketing Retired Corporate IT Equipment](/Activities/Collecting_Sanitizing_and_Remarketing_Retired_Corporate_IT_Equipment) — children · Activities
- [Collecting and Receiving End-of-Life Equipment](/Activities/Collecting_and_Receiving_End-of-Life_Equipment) — children · Activities
- [Collecting and Triaging End-of-Life IT and Consumer Electronics](/Activities/Collecting_and_Triaging_End-of-Life_IT_and_Consumer_Electronics) — children · Activities
- [Coordinating Office Decommissioning](/Activities/Coordinating_Office_Decommissioning) — children · Activities
- [De-Inking Fiber](/Activities/De-Inking_Fiber) — children · Activities
- [Decide service retirement and end-of-life timing](/Activities/Decide_service_retirement_and_end-of-life_timing) — children · Activities
- [Decommissioning Data Centers and IT Estates at End of Lease](/Activities/Decommissioning_Data_Centers_and_IT_Estates_at_End_of_Lease) — children · Activities
- [Decommissioning IT Hardware](/Activities/Decommissioning_IT_Hardware) — children · Activities
- [Dismantling Decommissioned Vessels](/Activities/Dismantling_Decommissioned_Vessels) — children · Activities
- [Disposition Units to Restock, Refurbish, Vendor Return, or Scrap](/Activities/Disposition_Units_to_Restock,_Refurbish,_Vendor_Return,_or_Scrap) — children · Activities
- [Executing Disposition Rules Restock Refurbish Liquidate or Destroy](/Activities/Executing_Disposition_Rules_Restock_Refurbish_Liquidate_or_Destroy) — children · Activities
- [Manage Decommissioning Waste Streams](/Activities/Manage_Decommissioning_Waste_Streams) — children · Activities
- [Manage end-of-life and component obsolescence transitions](/Activities/Manage_end-of-life_and_component_obsolescence_transitions) — children · Activities
- [Managing Closed Loop Aluminum Scrap Recycling with OEMs](/Activities/Managing_Closed_Loop_Aluminum_Scrap_Recycling_with_OEMs) — children · Activities
- [Managing End-of-Life Sales of Surplus Assets on Behalf of Owners](/Activities/Managing_End-of-Life_Sales_of_Surplus_Assets_on_Behalf_of_Owners) — children · Activities
- [Managing End-to-End Decommissioning Programs for Energy Assets](/Activities/Managing_End-to-End_Decommissioning_Programs_for_Energy_Assets) — children · Activities
- [Managing Full Lifecycle Decommissioning Programs](/Activities/Managing_Full_Lifecycle_Decommissioning_Programs) — children · Activities
- [Operating Closed Loop Scrap Take-Back with Stamping Plants](/Activities/Operating_Closed_Loop_Scrap_Take-Back_with_Stamping_Plants) — children · Activities
- [Performing Pickup Wipe and Resale of Decommissioned Office IT Hardware](/Activities/Performing_Pickup_Wipe_and_Resale_of_Decommissioned_Office_IT_Hardware) — children · Activities
- [Plan Product Sunset And End Of Life](/Activities/Plan_Product_Sunset_And_End_Of_Life) — children · Activities
- [Plan decommissioning sequences](/Activities/Plan_decommissioning_sequences) — children · Activities
- [Processing Device Trade Ins](/Activities/Processing_Device_Trade_Ins) — children · Activities
- [Recovering Resale and Commodity Value from End of Life Electronics](/Activities/Recovering_Resale_and_Commodity_Value_from_End_of_Life_Electronics) — children · Activities
- [Recycling End-of-Life Electronics to Certified Recovery](/Activities/Recycling_End-of-Life_Electronics_to_Certified_Recovery) — children · Activities
- [Refurbishing Retired IT Assets](/Activities/Refurbishing_Retired_IT_Assets) — children · Activities
- [Refurbishing and Remarketing Retired Endpoints](/Activities/Refurbishing_and_Remarketing_Retired_Endpoints) — children · Activities
- [Removing and Remarketing Retired IT and Telecom Equipment](/Activities/Removing_and_Remarketing_Retired_IT_and_Telecom_Equipment) — children · Activities
- [Reselling Decommissioned Equipment through Warehouse and Online Channels](/Activities/Reselling_Decommissioned_Equipment_through_Warehouse_and_Online_Channels) — children · Activities
- [Routing Retired Assets to Resale, Recycling, or Certified Destruction Channels](/Activities/Routing_Retired_Assets_to_Resale,_Recycling,_or_Certified_Destruction_Channels) — children · Activities

### Specific tasks implementing this

- [Deprecation Review](/Tasks/Deprecation_Review) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Retire Runbooks For Decommissioned Services](/Tasks/Retire_Runbooks_For_Decommissioned_Services) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Decommission End Of Life Servers](/Tasks/Decommission_End_Of_Life_Servers) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Decommission Tagging And Deregistration](/Tasks/Decommission_Tagging_And_Deregistration) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Execute Staged Decommissioning](/Tasks/Execute_Staged_Decommissioning) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Deprecate Obsolete Macros](/Tasks/Deprecate_Obsolete_Macros) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Deprovision Retired SIMs](/Tasks/Deprovision_Retired_SIMs) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Run End Of Life Transitions](/Tasks/Run_End_Of_Life_Transitions) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Coordinate Deinstallation And Storage](/Tasks/Coordinate_Deinstallation_And_Storage) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Retire Decommissioned Nodes](/Tasks/Retire_Decommissioned_Nodes) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Schedule End Of Life Retirement](/Tasks/Schedule_End_Of_Life_Retirement) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Deregister Instance From Service Discovery](/Tasks/Deregister_Instance_From_Service_Discovery) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Schedule Safe Decommission Windows](/Tasks/Schedule_Safe_Decommission_Windows) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Coordinate Decommissioning Checklists](/Tasks/Coordinate_Decommissioning_Checklists) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Node Health Retirement](/Tasks/Node_Health_Retirement) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Manage End Of Life Transitions](/Tasks/Manage_End_Of_Life_Transitions) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Build Legacy System Decommissioning Roadmap](/Tasks/Build_Legacy_System_Decommissioning_Roadmap) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Decommission Idle Environments](/Tasks/Decommission_Idle_Environments) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Track End Of Life Announcements](/Tasks/Track_End_Of_Life_Announcements) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Degauss Magnetic Media](/Tasks/Degauss_Magnetic_Media) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Flag Reassigned Phone Numbers](/Tasks/Flag_Reassigned_Phone_Numbers) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Coordinate Restoration And Decommissioning Works](/Tasks/Coordinate_Restoration_And_Decommissioning_Works) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Deprecation Notice Propagation](/Tasks/Deprecation_Notice_Propagation) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Execute Cryptographic Erase On Decommissioned Drives](/Tasks/Execute_Cryptographic_Erase_On_Decommissioned_Drives) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Disposition Tools For Regrind Or Scrap](/Tasks/Disposition_Tools_For_Regrind_Or_Scrap) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Process Deaccession and Disposal Requests](/Tasks/Process_Deaccession_and_Disposal_Requests) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Plan decommissioning sequences](/Tasks/Plan_decommissioning_sequences) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Plan Product Sunset And End Of Life](/Tasks/Plan_Product_Sunset_And_End_Of_Life) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Plan Decommissioning of Legacy Components](/Tasks/Plan_Decommissioning_of_Legacy_Components) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Oversee Secure Asset Disposal and Decommissioning](/Tasks/Oversee_Secure_Asset_Disposal_and_Decommissioning) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Manage component obsolescence and end-of-life transitions](/Tasks/Manage_component_obsolescence_and_end-of-life_transitions) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Drive end-of-life and obsolescence planning](/Tasks/Drive_end-of-life_and_obsolescence_planning) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Disposition Units to Restock, Refurbish, Vendor Return, or Scrap](/Tasks/Disposition_Units_to_Restock,_Refurbish,_Vendor_Return,_or_Scrap) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Scope decommissioning program](/Tasks/Scope_decommissioning_program) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Sanitize Decommissioned Media](/Tasks/Sanitize_Decommissioned_Media) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Refresh or decommission at end of life](/Tasks/Refresh_or_decommission_at_end_of_life) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Decide service retirement and end-of-life timing](/Tasks/Decide_service_retirement_and_end-of-life_timing) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Decommission and Wipe Faulty Units](/Tasks/Decommission_and_Wipe_Faulty_Units) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Process Sale Or Scrap](/Tasks/Process_Sale_Or_Scrap) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Demanufacture and shred residuals](/Tasks/Demanufacture_and_shred_residuals) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Decommission system and hand over](/Tasks/Decommission_system_and_hand_over) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Deactivate and recycle retired numbers](/Tasks/Deactivate_and_recycle_retired_numbers) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Coordinate decommission and removal](/Tasks/Coordinate_decommission_and_removal) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Assign disposition for reuse or scrap](/Tasks/Assign_disposition_for_reuse_or_scrap) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Defuel and decommission systems](/Tasks/Defuel_and_decommission_systems) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Collect end of life electronics](/Tasks/Collect_end_of_life_electronics) — implements activity · Tasks
- [Quarantine Affected EPCIS Tags](/Tasks/Quarantine_Affected_EPCIS_Tags) — implements activity · Tasks

### Similar Agents

- [Decommissioning Ledger Agent](/Activities/Destroying/Agents/Decommissioning_Ledger_Agent) — similar · Agents
- [Waste Tracking Agent](/Activities/Destroying/Agents/Waste_Tracking_Agent) — similar · Agents
- [Recall Orchestration Agent](/Activities/Destroying/Agents/Recall_Orchestration_Agent) — similar · Agents

### Similar Activities

- [Destroying](/Activities/Destroying) — similar · Activities
- [Removing](/Activities/Removing) — similar · Activities
- [Commissioning](/Activities/Commissioning) — similar · Activities
- [Disassembling](/Activities/Disassembling) — similar · Activities
- [Replacing](/Activities/Replacing) — similar · Activities
- [Repackaging](/Activities/Repackaging) — similar · Activities
- [Unpacking](/Activities/Unpacking) — similar · Activities
- [Unloading](/Activities/Unloading) — similar · Activities
- [Departing](/Activities/Departing) — similar · Activities

### Similar Resources

- [COM COL receiving warehouse](/Resources/COM_COL_receiving_warehouse) — similar · Resources

### Similar Markets

- [Fossil Fuel Market Contraction](/Markets/Fossil_Fuel_Market_Contraction) — similar · Markets

### Similar Metrics

- [Off-Site Disposal Volume](/Metrics/Off-Site_Disposal_Volume) — similar · Metrics
- [Percentage of returned goods that are sold as scrap](/Metrics/Percentage_of_returned_goods_that_are_sold_as_scrap) — similar · Metrics
- [Asset Disposal Cycle Time](/Metrics/Asset_Disposal_Cycle_Time) — similar · Metrics

### Similar Customers

- [Retail Chains](/Products/Cross_Segment/Customers/Retail_Chains) — similar · Customers
- [Consumer Goods Manufacturers](/Products/Cross_Segment/Customers/Consumer_Goods_Manufacturers) — similar · Customers
- [Third-Party Fulfillment Centers](/Products/Cross_Segment/Customers/Third-Party_Fulfillment_Centers) — similar · Customers