How to Securely Shred Documents

Not all documents need shredding—know what does:

Personal Information Documents:

• Social Security numbers

• Financial account numbers

• Medical records and health information

• Tax returns and W-2 forms

• Credit card statements and applications

Business Documents:

• Employee personnel files

• Customer and client data

• Proprietary business information

• Contracts and legal documents

• Financial records beyond retention period

Always Shred:

• Pre-approved credit offers

• Bank and brokerage statements

• Pay stubs and employment records

• Medical bills and insurance statements

Various regulations mandate secure document destruction:

Key Regulations:

• HIPAA: Healthcare information privacy

• FACTA: Consumer credit information disposal

• GLBA: Financial institution customer data

• SOX: Corporate financial record requirements

• State privacy laws (CCPA, etc.)

Compliance Requirements:

• Implement reasonable measures to protect data

• Maintain destruction policies and procedures

• Document destruction activities

• Provide certificates of destruction

Penalties for Non-Compliance:

• Fines up to $100,000+ per violation

• Legal liability for data breaches

• Reputational damage

• Required breach notifications

Security levels vary by shredding method:

Shredding Types:

• Strip-cut: Least secure, creates long strips

• Cross-cut: More secure, creates confetti-like pieces

• Micro-cut: Highest security, creates tiny particles

DIN Security Levels:

• P-1 to P-2: General documents (strip-cut)

• P-3 to P-4: Confidential (cross-cut)

• P-5 to P-7: Top secret (micro-cut/pulverize)

Other Media Destruction:

• Hard drives: Degaussing or physical destruction

• CDs/DVDs: Cross-cut shredding or crushing

• USB drives: Physical destruction

• Microfilm/microfiche: Specialized shredding

Weigh the options for your organization:

In-House Shredding:

• Lower cost for small volumes

• Immediate destruction

• Equipment maintenance required

• Staff time to operate

• May not meet compliance standards

Professional Shredding Service:

• Handles large volumes efficiently

• Certificate of destruction provided

• Chain of custody documentation

• Meets regulatory compliance

• Recycling included

Service Options:

• On-site mobile shredding (witness destruction)

• Off-site plant-based shredding

• Scheduled recurring service

• One-time purge projects

Protect documents before destruction:

Collection Containers:

• Locked shred bins/consoles

• Slot openings prevent removal

• Placed throughout facility

• Sized for document volume

Collection Best Practices:

• Never leave documents in open recycling

• Shred immediately or secure pending destruction

• Limit access to collection containers

• Don't overfill bins

Employee Guidelines:

• Train staff on what to shred

• Make shredding convenient (bins nearby)

• Clean desk policies

• No documents in regular trash

Maintain records for compliance and audits:

Certificate of Destruction Should Include:

• Date and time of destruction

• Description of materials destroyed

• Method of destruction used

• Chain of custody documentation

• Company performing destruction

• Signature of responsible party

Record Keeping:

• Retain certificates for audit purposes

• Log destruction activities

• Match to retention schedule compliance

• Video documentation for high-security needs

Verify Your Vendor:

• NAID AAA Certified

• Insurance and bonding

• Employee background checks

• Secure transport procedures