Understanding Your Shredding Options

Agent Jim Phelps had it easy in the popular TV series, Mission Impossible. After receiving his instructions, the tape would “self destruct.” After all these years, why can’t we get expired documents to do the same thing?

If you’ve been tasked with finding the right shredding option for your company, you may feel overwhelmed and ready to self-destruct. Understanding your shredding options doesn’t have to be a “mission impossible.” Here’s a simple outline of shredding options, what they mean, and whether they can fulfill your shredding needs.

1. Off-Site Shredding

What is Off-Site Shredding? When your documents are securely collected from your office, they are transported to a shredding facility where they are securely destroyed and the information rendered unreadable. A certificate of destruction is supplied following this process to ensure your business has the required documentation for compliance purposes.

Is it right for me? If your documents contain any Personal Identifiable Information (PII), then it is your legal responsibility to ensure they are destroyed to avoid a security breach. Off-site shredding can often be more affordable because the material can be shredded with other documents all at once at a remote location. You will gain peace of mind knowing that a shredding company is responsible for destroying your documents and that they have been handled by staff who are trained and comply with security procedures.

2. On–Site Shredding

What is On-Site Shredding? Also known as mobile shredding, on-site shredding is a secure document shredding process that shreds your documents at your workplace. The documents are not removed from your premises until they are destroyed, after which they are transported to a recycling facility.

Is it right for me? You may prefer to physically view the destruction of your documents without leaving your premises. If that is the case, and your business location is conducive to having a shredding truck park and shred your documents, then on-site shredding is a great choice for you.

3. Drop-Off Shredding

What is ­Drop-Off Shredding? If you have numerous documents and papers stacking up, or your personal shredder isn’t doing the job, it may make more sense for you to drop your documents at a designated secure shredding location. In this scenario, you can also arrange to witness the shredding process so you can feel confident that your documents have been securely destroyed.

Is it right for me? Drop off shredding is great for residential customers and small businesses that don’t have an accumulation of documents and papers to shred on a regular basis, and works best if you shred on an as-needed basis. If you require regularly scheduled shredding, consider on- or off-site shredding services.

4. One-Time Shredding

What is One-Time Shredding? A one-time shredding service is often ideal for a paper purge. If you’ve fallen behind on weeding out your expired files, or if you have unneeded receipts and documents piling up, a one-time shredding service is a great way to deal with it. One-time purge shredding can either be done at your location or off-site.

Is it right for me? If the retention periods have passed on many of your documents, and you need to make sure they are destroyed to avoid a data breach, consider doing a one-time shredding file purge. Even if you don’t require scheduled shredding, you may benefit from this type of one-time event. After the shredding is completed, a certificate of destruction will be provided, whether the shredding is done on or off-site.

Records Management Center in Augusta, Georgia is a full-service compliant shredding company that can help you understand the best shredding option for your business. We offer a variety of collection containers designed to fit your unique situation, and we can set up the best collection frequency for your business. Just give us a call at 706-724-7982 or complete the form on this page.