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Author: Crown Information Managment

What Not to Put in Shred Bins 

Shredding sensitive documents prevents thieves from stealing information that could put your company at risk. Dumpster divers look for anything that can give them a leg up in their illegal ventures. You don’t want to be the company with its reputation tarnished because of negligence that can be avoided easily. That is why it makes sense to use the services of a NAID AAA paper shredding company. They show up at your location, remove the tamper-proof shred bins, shred the documents onsite, and give you a certificate of destruction. They give you the peace of mind and confidence that any business documents with personal identifying information don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Friendly Reminder to Keep Recycling Costs Down

Since they make your job easier, why not do your part to ensure efficiency at every step? Document shredding companies rely on their clients to put the correct type of recycled material in the bins. Sometimes, things get mixed up. Items that do not belong in a paper shredder find their way in, and it can cause delays and even damage, which can lead to a higher cost of services. You can help by ensuring your team uses the shredding bins correctly.

A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place 

The primary use of shred bins is to safely store unwanted documents until your preferred document destruction company empties them. They are convenient and reduce worry about losing records unnecessarily. Here are some simple guidelines to ensure your team uses the receptacles properly:

Items that can go into the shred bin. Let’s start with what is allowed to be placed in the receptacle for document destruction, even if it has staples or paper clips:

  • Confidential records
  • Outdated printed files and forms
  • Manila file folders
  • Spiral notebooks
  • Presentation papers
  • Checks
  • Payment copies
  • Receipts
  • Contact lists
  • Employee records
  • Strategy development plans
  • Private correspondence
  • Envelopes
  • Official documents
  • Medical records
  • Boarding passes
  • Financial records
  • Any document with personally identifiable information (i.e., full name, Social Security Number, driver’s license number, mailing address, credit card number, etc.)

Items that should never go into the shredding bin. It shouldn’t go in with the shredding if it isn’t paper. Here are some classic examples of what not to mix with paper products:

  • Masks – Most are made with petroleum-based, non-renewable polymers. They are non-biodegradable, meaning they are hazardous to the environment. They are considered contaminated material, which should never be placed in a shred bin.
  • BatteriesIf a battery leaks, especially one with lithium, it can cause a fire. Used batteries can overheat, catch fire, or explode. 
  • Garbage A recycling bin is for recycling only, not someone’s leftover lunch.  
  • Syringes
  • Glass
  • Plastic
  • Cans
  • Cardboard tubes
  • Ink cartridges
  • Toner cartridges
  • Hanging folders
  • Nuts and bolts
  • Hard drives
  • Offices supplies such as hole punches and staple removers
  • 3-ring binders
  • X-ray film

Follow Best Practices with Your Document Destruction  

You can make the most of your shredding bins by placing in them all the paper documents you no longer need. Then talk to the team at Crown Information Management about options for destroying hard drives, electronics, office furniture, and x-ray films. We are here to meet your document destruction and records management needs. Learn more when you call us today. 

For timely destruction of documents, products, hard drives, and secure, pest-free storage with a SOC1 Level 2 Report,NAID AAA, and PCI Certified company. Call Crown Information Management at 800-979-9545 or contact us online to learn more about our document storage, destruction, and shredding services. 

Shredding Laws: Tips on Staying Compliant 

Professional Shredding Services Keep You Legal

A data breach causes many headaches for all involved. Consumers must worry if their identity will be stolen. Companies face a tainted reputation and the government’s ire if a breach occurs that could have been avoided. For years data destruction laws and regulations have mandated how companies store and destroy data. The goal is to protect both consumers and employees. From HIPAA in 1996 to FACTA in 2003, more and more businesses have tightened their internal protocols to ensure they don’t fall on the wrong side of the government. An unsung hero in the quest to properly dispose of records is your local professional paper shredding company. They have the resources to ensure valuable, confidential, personal information does not fall into the wrong hands.

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Seasonal Shredding Tasks – A Handy Checklist

Professional Document Destruction to Keep Your New Year’s Resolution

After the holidays have settled down, many companies look at their next big event—tax season. Preparing for taxes often includes gathering up the current year’s paperwork for storage and purging any old records. If you aren’t meticulous with planning and organizing, your office may quickly turn messy with stacks of files and boxes littering the landscape. Even if your fiscal year doesn’t end on December 31st, developing an annual purge of records, hard drives, and electronics makes good sense for a decluttered and well-functioning office. To make the process easier on everyone, choose the services of a professional paper shredding company. They will come to your location and take all the clutter away.

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It’s Time for Feasting & Festivity – But Don’t Offer it to Criminals!

The turkey has settled, and the holiday season is gearing up for that fun and festive time. Different industries are heading into their busiest time. Retail stores must focus on stocking their shelves for their patrons, and medical offices are heading into the flu season. Don’t forget that the New Year is right around the corner. It is the perfect time to clear the offices and start January with a clean slate. A year-end paper purge can put you in the best place to meet next year’s goals and aspirations. However, you don’t want to throw out documents with the regular trash, giving criminals a wonderful Christmas present. Instead, schedule an appointment with a professional paper shredding company. They have the resources to ensure criminals don’t get their devious hands on valuable, confidential, personal information.

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Lights, Baubles, Gifts, Sweet Treats…and Shredding!

The holidays are a fun and festive time. Families and companies alike bring out the lights and decorations, not to mention turn on melodies that make everyone hum along. Behind all the lights, baubles, and gifts, thieves work hard to take data and turn it towards their selfish desires. This giving time of year should not include giving up your customers’ and clients’ personal data. Enjoy a more joyous holiday by inviting a professional paper shredding company to your location. They will handle all your document destruction needs onsite and with little interruption to your day.

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Mobile Shredding Tips & Benefits for Florida Businesses

It’s Time to Gain Peace of Mind with Your Documents

When the time comes to clean out old files, you have choices on how to proceed. One commonly utilized but inefficient option is to have an employee take time away from their other duties to sort through and hand shred the documents or put them through the office shredder. Another option is to hire a company capable of making light work of your mounds of paper. Mobile shredding companies offer a valuable service. They come to your location and shred your items on the spot. You get a certificate of destruction and can get on with your day. What could be better than gaining peace of mind?

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Don’t Forget to Destroy Your Damaged Hard Drives

Today’s technology allows people and businesses to accomplish much. Professional meetings can be held online. Doctors can speak with patients through video. Banking transactions happen online, too. With all the ways technology aids us, some people take full advantage of situations to ensure they make an easy payday. Cybercriminals will seek out data wherever they can find it, including rummaging through dumpsters. So, think twice before throwing out your old computers with intact hard drives! Instead, look to the services of a professional hard drive destruction company for your Florida business. They provide peace of mind and help you stay in compliance with your client’s data.

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Hurricane Ian Should Remind All Businesses to Have A Records Retention Plan In Place

Don’t Let Mother Nature Catch You Off Guard

Every year, Florida heads into the hurricane season with anticipation of the number and intensity of storms to hit. September 28, 2022 will be known for the destruction Hurricane Ian brought to the Sunshine State. It will take months and billions of dollars to recover from this catastrophic event. Veteran Floridians understand the importance of having a generator and fuel ready. They know how to pack a vehicle when evacuation is necessary. Businesses also have plans to ensure their products, equipment, and records are as safe as possible. Yet, sometimes people become a little indifferent to what Mother Nature can bring. They may not take the suitable precautions to establish a records retention plan, placing them at colossal business risk.

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Cyber Security Awareness Month – Stay Safe Online

Helpful Steps to Thwart Cyber Criminals 

October is not only the unofficial start of the holiday season with Halloween. It is also a month set aside as Cyber Security Awareness Month. Cybercrime continues to increase yearly, leaving many feeling helpless in securing their company or personal online presence. It only takes one innocent-looking email to let a cybercriminal into your database to wreak havoc. Take back control and make it harder for thieves to steal your business information through some simple steps. Don’t forget to establish a plan for adequately destroying your paper records and computer hard drives through a reputable shredding company. The only tricks being played this year should be on those trying to steal your enterprise’s information! 

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