The On-Site Shredding Industry: A Comprehensive Overview

With Identity Theft on the rise, client information security being a priority, corporate theft becoming a fact of life, and the need to keep sensitive information in the office in its proper place, businesses and organizations must do all they can to react responsibly. Corporate America faces the seemingly insurmountable problem of information protection, opening the door for the tremendous service business and opportunity of on-site data destruction.

On-site document shredding is the most secure and reliable method of information destruction, eliminating any possibility of security leaks. Material is stored in locked, security containers until the bonded operator transports it to the vehicle to be destroyed and clients are encouraged to witness the destruction process on their premises. Shred-Tech's cutting-edge technology safely and quickly destroys all types of products. Everything from office paper to computer disks, CDs, and reel-to-reels, are totally destroyed in minutes.

About 9.3 million people were victims of the crime last year, echoing a study last year by the Federal Trade Commission that indicated 10.1 million consumers had been hit in 2003. In all, one in every 23 consumers was a victim last year.

It is surprisingly easy to steal someone’s identity. All that is needed is a Social Security number, driver’s license number, or account number, and even an unskilled thief can virtually become someone else. Where does a thief find such personal information? One of the most obvious and simple places is in the trash.

Armed with this information, the criminals spend as much money as they can in as short a period of time as possible before moving on to another victim. Once the violation is discovered, it can take the victims months, and even years, to regain their financial health and repair their credit history. Meanwhile, they have difficulty writing checks, securing loans, obtaining utilities, renting apartments, and even getting hired. To make matters worse, victims of Identity Theft get almost no help from the authorities as they attempt to untangle the massive web of deception that has wreaked havoc on their lives.

Protecting consumer privacy has become a priority for government legislation. There are already a number of laws touching on issues of information security, with many more being petitioned. The public is becoming proactive in protecting its own privacy, as well. More and more, clients are demanding that businesses protect and destroy their confidential information before they will agree to do business with them.

Identity theft is not the only peril facing businesses. Organizations should also implement effective information security measures and policies for the following reasons:

• Protect trade secrets.

• Avoid public embarrassment, perhaps even legal exposure.

• Avoid productivity loss.

• Avoid internal personnel issues.

• Protect patient/personnel medical information

Conscientious and responsible businesses not only should do their part destroy the information when it is no longer needed, but to do it in the most secure manner possible. Simply disposing of documents in the trash is no longer a viable choice. Office shredders take up valuable and productive time, and disposal is messy and costly.

Off-site destruction and recycling services offer minimal protection for the following reasons:

► Material is transported in whole, readable form. Accidents often happen during transportation from the client to the recycling or shredding facility, resulting in the possibility of information becoming exposed.

► Material is sorted for paper grades, allowing information to be read and stolen prior to destruction.

► Material is often stored for weeks and sometimes months before it is destroyed, risking a breach in information security.

When clients sign on for on-site shredding services, they receive lockable security containers that are placed strategically throughout their offices and campuses. Unlike most other disposal methods, client documents are secure from the time they are discarded through the time of destruction.

On a predetermined basis, operators gather discarded materials for on-site destruction. Using Shred-Tech state-of-the-art shredding systems, materials are quickly destroyed without leaving the premises. Upon completion of every job, a Certificate of Destruction is issued, documenting that the client’s information is completely destroyed and irretrievable. When the truck is full, the paper is transported to an authorized recycler, who pays for the recyclable waste.

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