Common Shredding Myths Debunked

Did You Know?

• If swallowed, chewing gum stays in your stomach for up to seven years
• Sitting too close to the TV ruins your vision
• Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis
• You’ll catch a cold if you go outside on a cold day with wet hair
• The previous four statements are myths

What You Should Know

We all know some myths that we believed growing up, and there’s no shortage of new myths being initiated every day. Just like in other aspects of life, there are also myths surrounding document shredding that you may assume to be true or are unsure about. In this article, we aim to clarify these myths.

1. Myth: DIY Shredding is Secure

One common misconception is that do-it-yourself (DIY) shredding methods are secure. However, the problem with DIY is that many in-house shredders don’t shred your documents sufficiently to make them unreadable or impossible to reconstruct. Additionally, employees may become careless when discarding documents, tossing them in the recycling bin or trash or letting them pile up for a period of time before shredding, putting sensitive information at risk of being seen by unauthorized people.

Fact: A professional shredding company provides secure shredding services.

2. Myth: No One Would Go Through the Trash

Another prevalent myth is that no one would go through the trash to steal information. Dumpster diving is a serious part of identity theft, as thieves intentionally look through trash cans, dumpsters, recycling bins and other disposal locations to find valuable information. Even if documents are torn up or covered in debris, identity thieves will do whatever it takes to retrieve the information they are looking for, potentially leading to identity theft or financial crimes.

Fact: It is safer to send documents to a professional shredding company rather than disposing of them in the trash.

3. Myth: Saving Documents is an Alternative to Shredding Them

Some people mistakenly believe that saving documents indefinitely is a suitable alternative to shredding them. However, most documents containing personally identifiable information (PII) have a legally-mandated retention period and must be destroyed at the end of that period.

Fact: A professional shredding company can help ensure your documents are properly shredded and disposed of on time.

4. Myth: Professional Shredding is Expensive

There is a mistaken belief that professional shredding services are unaffordable. This myth may exist because of the assumption that DIY shredding is a cheaper or free option. In reality, in-house shredding can be costly when you consider the expenses related to staff time spent dealing with slow and noisy machines, paper jams, repairs, and replacements. Also, if shredding is not done correctly and information can be retrieved from the resulting shredded material, the cost of a data breach may lead to fines, legal issues and a damaged reputation. Even if you do everything right but have no proof of your compliance with state and federal data privacy laws, a financial penalty may result. These potential threats are difficult to quantify.

Fact: Using a professional shredding company is a more affordable and secure option.

Debunking these common shredding myths is essential to making informed decisions about protecting your sensitive and private information.

UltraShred Technologies provides affordable, NAID AAA Certified shredding services in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. We securely shred and recycle all your confidential documents. To inquire about outsourcing your shredding needs, give us a call at 904-928-0200 or complete the form on this page.