You might have a document destruction procedure in your office or workplace that seems to work for everyone. Maybe every staff member has a personal shredder, or maybe there is a big shredder for everyone to use. Maybe you don’t shred anything and put all your sensitive documents in the recycling bin and assume they will be destroyed. The thing is, just because you have a routine that’s convenient, doesn’t mean that your routine is safe or even all that efficient. Bad document shredding practices can put your staff and your clients at risk. Here are some facts that paper shredding companies would like you to know.
Discarded Paper is Public Property
This might seem strange, but it’s true. A court case, California vs. Greenwood, set the precedent that curbside garbage or recycling is not private property, and can be searched without a warrant and that it is essentially public property. That means that anyone can go through your garbage and take whatever they want. In the case of sensitive information, a thief could simply stroll up and remove your bags of shredded paper and take it with them, and there would not be any legal ramifications.
Document Shredding Services are Cheaper Than In-house Shredding
Using paper shredding companies does cost you money. However, using an industrial-sized shredding machine in your office can also cost up to $100 a month to operate as well. Plus, you must consider the staff time used in shredding all that paper. Reputable document shredding services will charge you by the pound so that you pay only for what you use. When you also consider the damage to your company and your clients can suffer if there is an information breach, it is well worth it.
On-Site Shredding is Better Than Off-Site Shredding
There are a couple of different types of shredding service. One is off-site. With off-site, a company will pick up your discarded documents and take them to a facility to be destroyed. However, at the facility, they are sorted by hand to find the best recyclable material. This means that there is a slight chance of a breach during this period. With mobile on-site shredding services, the receptacles that contain your documents are taken outside to the shredding truck and destroyed immediately. Many paper shredding companies will even encourage you to watch the process to verify that your documents have been completely destroyed.
Mobile Shredding is Quick
Imagine your office has accumulated 500 pounds of documents. How long do you think it will take for your office shredder to take care of all of it? It may take a staff member several hours, or even several days. Mobile shredding of 500 pounds can take less than 10 minutes, and you don’t even have to go through the hassle or removing paper clips and staples.
Using a Professional Shredding Company Will Keep You Compliant
Professional shredding companies, assuming they are reputable, should be certified by state and national associations. This means that they will have shown to be compliant with all regulations and laws that pertain to document destruction in your jurisdiction. You can rest easy knowing that your sensitive information is safe and that you will not face any legal ramifications for bad practices.
It might seem like an expense that you do not need to incur, but nothing could be farther from the truth. These 5 facts about document shredding should show you that it is vital to protect your documents by using a professional mobile shredding service.
