“Can I shred____?” That’s the start of one of the most common questions we get here at CI Information Management, and it is an excellent question. People are often surprised by what can and cannot be shredded, so today, we are going to break it down for you!
Basic Document Shredding: What Belongs in Your Shred Bin
Many people believe that only loose sheets of printer paper can go into their shred bin, but that is just the start. Not only can you shred packets with staples and paperclips (yes, without removing the metal), but here is what else you can toss in:
- Printed documents of any size
- Manila folder
- File Jackets
- Receipt paper
- Junk mail
- Newspapers
- Brochures
- Glossy paper
- Colored paper
- Sticky notes
- Card stock
Of course, it is essential to remember that this is a shredding bin, not a trash bin. So no Styrofoam, glass, plastic, food waste, or trash of any kind. Additionally, no cardboard boxes!
Media Destruction: Shredding Electronics and Digital Devices
Another shredding option is media destruction. Unfortunately, simply “erasing” data from a media device is not enough to make it safe for disposal; it must be mangled beyond repair. This is particularly vital for businesses that work in industries like healthcare, finance, and law to meet compliance requirements.
Here is what you can include in your media destruction services with CI Information Management:
- Optical media: Optical media includes items such as CDs and CD-ROMs, DVDs and DVD-ROMs, and Blu-ray.
- Zip disks: Zip disks of sizes 100 MB, 250 MB, and larger.
- Magnetic backup tapes: Magnetic tapes include any kind of DLT, mini cartridges, and many more. Please ask for more information!
- Floppy Disks: Floppy disks sized 3.5 inch, 5.25 inch, and others.
Not sure what this all means? Here are answers to our most common shredding questions:
Can I shred my laptop? Yes! We can dismantle and shred the HDD/SSD inside your laptop.
Can I shred my flash drive? Yes!
Can hard drives be shredded? Yes, they are physically destroyed!
Can I shred a solid-state drive (SSD)? Yes, the same way as the HDDs.
Can phones and tablets be shredded? Yes. These devices need to be dismantled to dispose of the battery and memory components properly. We can help with that!
Product Destruction: Destroying Branded and Sensitive Items
The last category of shredding is product destruction, meaning non-document or media items that still pose privacy, security, or brand risks. If these items leave your business’s control, they could reduce brand integrity, expose proprietary information, or not meet specific regulations. Often, they are items that were over-produced, have expired, are defective, or may now be outdated. Whatever the reason, you don’t want it ending up in someone’s hands.
Here are some examples of products that can be shredded:
- Recalled products
- Business uniforms
- Packaging
- Playing cards
- Defective electronics
- Branded apparel
- Prescription bottles
- License plates
- Casino chips
- ID badges
- Key fobs
If You’re Not Sure, Ask Us
At the end of the day, the goal is to keep our businesses and our clients safe. Secure shredding is about more than just paper; it is a means of protecting your organization from identity theft, data loss, and brand misuse.
If you have documents, media, or products that you want to get rid of safely, but you aren’t sure if shredding is the right solution, please reach out to us and ask! At CI Information Management, we are always happy to let you know if something can be shredded and how it should be handled.
Why Choose CI Information Management?
As a NAID AAA Certified destruction provider, we help you and your business mitigate the risks of unauthorized access to your information. Whether you need to shred client information, business tax files, old media devices, or products that are taking up space that will never get sold, we are here to help!
Our trained, background-checked, bonded, and insured employees follow a strict chain of custody during the entire destruction process, protecting your assets until they are destroyed. Plus, after each destruction operation, we provide you with a Certificate of Destruction, demonstrating that you are in compliance with state and federal privacy laws such as HIPAA, FACTA, SOX, and GLB.
In addition to the safety and security provided by CI Information Management, we are a company that cares about the community. As a division of Columbia Ability Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities, you not only protect sensitive information but also support an organization committed to inclusivity and social impact.
Ready to learn more? Simply fill out our easy contact form for more information!
