When it comes to destroying sensitive documents with personal information and data, there are numerous methods you can use. For a few pages, it can be easy to tear them up by hand, but this approach doesn’t always work for larger volumes of mail and paperwork that can build up over time. In these cases, investing in a paper shredder service is worth it. Paper shredding is a comprehensive service that offers solutions for large piles of documents and is considered a cost-effective solution for businesses and small offices.
However, it’s important to explore all your options for paper shredding before steadily investing in these services. Here’s what you should know about paper shredding, how to do it, and the best options for your needs.
Why Shredding is Essential For Privacy and Security
Even in today’s digital environment, Shredding is a key practice for maintaining privacy and ensuring security, especially when it comes to paper documents containing personal, financial, or confidential information. Shredding physical documents, whether they’re personal documents, outdated forms, and other confidential data, is essential today, and taking the time to shred outdated documents can help you in many ways:
- Protecting Personal Information: Shredding prevents identity theft by destroying documents containing personal data. It also ensures that personal details like bank account numbers and social security numbers are unreadable.
- Compliance with Laws: Paper shredding also meets legal requirements under laws such as HIPAA and FACTA and helps avoid penalties and legal consequences associated with data breaches.
- Avoiding Business Risks: For businesses wishing to protect their data, shredding protects confidential business information from competitors and reduces the risk of reputation damage and financial loss from information leaks.
- Environmental Benefits: Shredding documents help support the environment and support recycling efforts. This method reduces the volume of waste in landfills by compacting shredding materials.
- Reassurance: For people worried about data leaks and sensitive information being compromised, it provides reassurance that the information is securely destroyed and allows businesses and individuals to focus on their activities.
With these points in mind, it’s crucial to consider your options for paper shredding, as shredding documents play a role in modern information security and management practices today. One such option for destroying documents is investing in a personal paper shredder, which has benefits.
When To Invest In A Personal Paper Shredder
Tearing papers up page by page can work well for minor paperwork, but this doesn’t work for the long term when the piles stack up. A personal paper shredder is one option that you can invest in, especially if you’re someone who mostly handles personal information, such as medical records, receipts, and other documents. When investing in a personal paper shredder, it’s important to weigh how it can benefit you.
Benefits of a Personal Paper Shredding
- Convenience: Owning a personal shredder allows you to shred documents immediately, destroying sensitive information and keeping your environment clutter-free.
- Best for Small Volume: Personal shredders are great for small businesses and people who do not generate large volumes of sensitive data. They can be a cost-effective solution compared to professional shredding services.
- Increased Security: By shredding documents with a personal shredder, you can eliminate any risks associated with transporting documents to drop-off locations or waiting for scheduled services to come and destroy your documents.
- Flexibility: Personal shredders come in various sizes and capacities, and you can choose ones that fit your specific needs. These shredders allow you to destroy financial statements and small-scale business documents with ease and speed.
However, personal shredders tend to come with problems, especially if your document load is more demanding than a personal shredder can handle. Personal shredders typically have smaller feed slots and waste bins, requiring more emptying and maintenance. Cheaper models can experience motor burnout, jamming, and other problems and must be equipped to destroy thicker materials such as credit cards or multiple-paged documents. Most of all, these shredders offer less security than professional services, as these services are considered better at minimizing the risks of document destruction.
What Are Your Options For Professional Shredding Services?
If you’re someone who regularly deals with large volumes of sensitive documents or are seeking higher security standards with your data, then professional shredding services can provide the solution you need at a more affordable cost. Most professional shredding services use industrial-grade equipment to efficiently handle large amounts of paper. These services provide certificates of destruction and comply with federal and state privacy laws, such as HIPAA and FACTA, to ensure that your information is handled securely.
Onsite Shredding
Also called mobile shredding, onsite shredding involves shredding trucks that come to your location to perform the shredding. This method lets you witness the shredding process in person for peace of mind, especially when handling highly confidential information. For businesses with strict privacy regulations, this method is often preferred. It’s considered an excellent choice for those requiring immediate destruction of sensitive documents without them leaving their premises. Regarding cost, mobile (onsite) shredding typically ranges from $130 to $175 for handling one to ten boxes. However, the costs will vary depending on the project’s size, capacity, and other factors.
Offsite Shredding
Offsite shredding transports documents to a secure facility for destruction. This option is generally considered more cost-effective for companies that generate larger volumes of paperwork but do not need a witness. This service provides a certificate of destruction, adheres to privacy regulations, and can ensure high security with your documents. Offsite shredding generally costs between $110 and $130 for one to ten boxes. Similarly, the costs can vary based on location, size, and other factors.
Ship ‘N’ Shred
Ship’N’Shred offers document destruction based on the volume of paperwork you have and works with shipping services to create a convenient and affordable method of shredding your papers. This service helps limit your work; all you would need to do is mail your documents to a shredding facility using pre-paid shipping options. This makes it useful for businesses that live in remote areas and those who prefer the convenience of not traveling to drop-off locations.
Learn About Your Shredding Options with Shred Nations
Pricing depends on the volume, weight, and number of documents involved and will vary depending on factors. However, Shred Nations can help you determine which paper shredding services best fit your needs. Our teams work with providers to offer paper shredding options to ensure that your documents are destroyed securely and efficiently. If you’d like to receive a free quote, contact Shred Nations at (800) 747-3365 today.
