Frequently Asked Questions

Shred-it accepts all jobs, large or small. Our customers range from small offices to major organizations.  Depending on your needs, many of our locations also offer drop-off services, so you can bring a small quantity of documents that you need destroyed to our branch for shredding.  

To find out if a branch near you offers this service, find your nearest Shred-it location.

We can shred just about anything, but we mostly shred paper. And instead of using conventional strip-cut shredders, we use crosscut shredding technology that reduces the paper to fine, confetti-like pieces. Based on your needs, we have different sizes, ranging from one and a half inches by five eighths of an inch to half an inch by one eighth of an inch! In addition, there's no way the paper we shred can ever be reconstructed again, because the confetti-like pieces are immediately combined with previously shred documents.

Our unique shredders also have the technology and power to break down other materials like fabric, plastic, electronics and metals. Yes, that means CDs, hard drives, videotapes, DVDs and even casino chips. If you have any questions about materials you would like to shred, click on the "Contact Us" link on our website; it's at the top right hand side of the home page. Then, complete the form and we'll get in touch with you within one business day!

Not at all.  And we don't sort it either.  All you need to do is put the documents into the locked consoles we provide and that's it.  You don't have to worry about removing anything else not paper clips, staples or binder clips.  Our shredders can handle that.

Your employees put the documents that they want shredded into Shred-it's locked consoles.  A beveled slot and internal security plate ensure that your documents can't be removed once they have been inserted.  

We will help you decide how many consoles are needed and place them in convenient locations throughout your office.  Inside the consoles are specially designed bags which hold all of the documents that you want destroyed until our next service visit.

If your console fills up too fast, just give us a quick call.  We’ll be happy to schedule an extra pick-up. If it starts to happen a lot we can provide you with additional consoles or increase the frequency of your service.

Our employees receive a great deal of on-going training, specially designed to keep them up to date on everything related to information security.  Hands-on training is provided in both a classroom setting and in the field... and that means you get the best possible secure service.

A security risk assessment helps you determine the level of document security in your business - and that helps identify security risks and how to put a secure and safe paper shredding program in place.

How does a security risk assessment work?  A background-checked member of our team will accompany you on a walk-through of your workplace and complete a Security Risk Assessment document.  When they are done, they will sit down with you and go over potential areas of risk - and solutions. One of the things they'll explain is is where to put the Shred-it consoles (for example, in the HR or Finance departments, where sensitive documents are often generated).  They'll also introduce the idea of having a Shred-All policy.  That means all documents are shredded when they're not needed any more.

Contact us about having one of our representatives do a security risk assessment on your business or take our online Risk Assessment Survey.  It will help you determine how you are managing confidential information and the paper shredding process.

After the paper has been securely shredded, the confetti-sized pieces are bundled and recycled into paper products.

Shred-it believes it is important to securely destroy all confidential information, regardless of whether it originates at a residence or business. The ideal solution for you depends on the amount of material that you need shredded.  Many of our branches offer drop-off services and we also provide Community Shred-it Events, which are organized local events that provide shredding services for the community - often free of charge or for a minimal donation.

To find out if there is a branch near you offering drop-off service or a Community Shred-it Event, find a Shred-it location near you.
 

Shred-it is an environmentally-conscious company that takes recycling very seriously. Every year we provide our clients with a Certificate of Environmental Accomplishment, which shows the number of trees they have saved by using Shred-it's services. It's just part of what we do.  

Find out more about our environmental commitment.