What Are the Different Types of Shredding Services?

Answer 1

Shredding services are used by many small, medium and large businesses to dispose of sensitive documents and information. There are several forms of shredding services businesses can choose from to increase security and decrease the chance documents will be pieced back together after shredding.

Strip-Cut and Cross-Cut Shredders - The Least Secure

Strip-cut shredders cut sensitive information into strips of paper. These strips can be reassembled within a few minutes, revealing the original document. In terms of security, strip-cut shredding services are not secure. Cross-cut shredding services are a bit more secure, but documents can still be reassembled.

If strip-cut or cross-cut shredding services are used, businesses should have a process in place to securely dispose of the remaining paper. If paper is thrown in general trash bins, pieces can be pulled and reassembled. Some shredding services reuse strip-cut documents as stuffing for packages. There have been cases where consumers have reassembled sensitive bank documents, including banking account numbers and check images from strip-cut paper used to pack a box.

The Most Secure Shredding Services

When security is the only option, businesses should choose disintegrators, hammermills or grinders. Each of these shredding services create tiny paper pieces that fit through a screen. Assembling documents is impossible as only small bits of paper or pulp are left.

Alternatives to Shredding Services

If shredding is not secure enough for a business, alternative options like burning and chemical treatments are available. These options are no eco-friendly as the paper is left in a state that cannot be reused or recycled.

Levels of Security - Shredding Services

There are five levels of security for paper shredders. The levels range from one to five with five being the most secure. The United States government use levels four and five for shredding sensitive, classified documents.

The most secure option for shredding services are those that offer impossible reassembly. Businesses counting on professional shredding services for sensitive document disposal should always inquire about the method of shredding services before allowing the company to take documents from the business. Shredding services with mobile shredding units tend to be more secure as the business owner or representative can monitor the shredding process on site.