The Dangers of DIY Paper Shredding Back

 Protecting sensitive customer data is crucial for businesses. While DIY paper shredding may seem like a cheap and effective solution, it can pose significant risks to security, legal compliance, and efficiency.

The False Economy of DIY Shredding

Purchasing an office shredder may seem like a smart financial decision. It will do the job of destroying small documents.

However, when you have a lot of documents to shred, small office shredders can not compete for efficiency compared with industrial-sized shredders.

Consider the time and resources allocated to in-house shredding: employees spending valuable work hours feeding documents into a small shredder, dealing with paper jams, and emptying bins.

These tasks divert attention from core business activities and can lead to a surprising amount of lost productivity over time.

Professional shredding services, on the other hand, offer scalable solutions, allowing businesses to shred large amounts of documents quickly and securely. They often provide options such as onsite shredding or scheduled pickups to accommodate various business needs.

Security Risks

One of the most significant dangers of DIY shredding lies in the quality of destruction. Many office and home shredders use a simple strip-cut method, which produces long strips of paper that can be reassembled with enough patience.

It's not uncommon for small portions of documents to slip through unshredded, potentially exposing sensitive information. Professional shredding services eliminate this risk through thorough and consistent destruction processes.

You could purchase an upgraded shredder that uses advanced cross-cut or micro-cut techniques, turning documents into confetti-like pieces that are very challenging to restore. Still, even these can leave remnants that could be reconstructed with time and effort.

In contrast, professional shredding services use industrial-grade equipment to pulverise documents beyond recovery, providing businesses with real peace of mind.

Compliance Nightmares

Under new data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the UK and Europe or Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the healthcare sector, proper document destruction is not just good practice, it's often a legal requirement to shred documents securely.

DIY shredding methods typically lack the verifiable audit trails that many compliance standards demand. Without proper documentation of destruction, businesses may find themselves in violation of these regulations, risking hefty fines and reputational damage.

For example, GDPR mandates that organisations take appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a high level of data security. Improperly shredded documents, which can be pieced back together, clearly violate this principle. This could subject your business to fines of up to 4% of its global turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher.

Operational Inefficiencies

Office shredders require regular maintenance and are prone to breakdowns, especially when dealing with large volumes of documents. These issues can lead to frustrating delays and unexpected repair costs. Furthermore, the inconsistent nature of DIY shredding often results in document buildup, creating clutter and increasing the risk of sensitive information being misplaced or accessed by unauthorised individuals.

Environmental Impact

Improper disposal of shredded paper can also have environmental consequences. Many businesses are unaware that shredded paper is more difficult to recycle due to its smaller size and cross-contamination with other materials. This can result in increased waste and failure to meet corporate environmental goals.

Professional shredding companies typically ensure that all shredded materials are recycled in compliance with environmental standards, helping businesses reduce their ecological footprint and adhere to corporate social responsibility commitments.

Shred Documents Safely

DIY paper shredding may appear to be a convenient solution, but it carries significant risks related to security, legal compliance, efficiency, and environmental impact. For businesses handling sensitive data, the potential consequences of improper document destruction far outweigh any perceived savings.

Using a professional shredding company ensures your documents are securely destroyed, legal requirements are met, and both time and resources are saved.

The Professional Alternative

Given these risks, professional shredding services offer a compelling alternative. These services provide:

1. Enhanced Security: Industrial-grade shredders ensure complete destruction of documents.
2. Compliance Assurance: Proper documentation and certificates of destruction to meet regulatory requirements.
3. Efficiency: Regular, scheduled pickups prevent document buildup and save employee time.
4. Environmental Responsibility: Proper recycling of shredded materials.
5. Peace of Mind: Knowing that sensitive information is being handled by trained professionals.