Records disposed of in this manner must not contain private, sensitive or confidential information. Special software programs will wipe data and make it permanently irretrievable and inaccessible. Consult the Yellow Pages in your telephone book for a list of companies that recycle. Private or confidential records can be recycled if the recycling company and its personnel are bonded, and will certify that the information has been protected. An additional fee usually is charged for certified disposition.
Shredders come in a variety of sizes and capacities.
Some vendors will bring equipment to your facility and shred documents on site. If records are to be shredded on the vendor's premises, certified shredding is recommended. Many government offices outside metropolitan areas dispose of waste in landfills. This method is suitable only for nonprivate or nonconfidential records. Since burying places records in a nonoxygenated environment, the records often are preserved, although access to them would be unlikely in a highly-restricted environment.