Answers to the Big 5 Information Destruction Questions
We receive questions all the time from consumers and business owners wanting to know about information destruction. And often, the same questions pop up. Here are answers to the “Big 5” information destruction questions:
1. Why Not Just Use My Office Shredder?
Office shredders are unreliable and time-consuming to use. Staples, paper clips and sticky notes must be removed from files so they don’t jam the shredder. Plus, most office shredders are limited in their capacity to shred documents into particle sizes small enough not to be reassembled. When your bag of shredded material lands in the dumpster, a thief may steal it and gain access to sensitive client, employee, and financial information.
On the other hand, our professional shredding service shreds your paper records and transfers it directly to the paper mill for pulping. This continuous chain of custody prevents dumpster divers and third parties from having access to your documents – whole or in pieces.
2. Can’t I Just Erase the Data from My Old Hard Drive?
Sure, you can erase data from an old hard drive or tape, but doing so doesn’t guarantee your information won’t be compromised. This is because, with a little know-how, thieves can still extract sensitive information from your deleted files. Only physical destruction of the drive renders it completely inoperable do data can’t be extracted. A hard drive destruction service uses specialized shredders that apply 20,000 pounds of conical force onto the platter of the drive. This massive force crushes the hard disk’s spindle, forms ripples in the platter where your data is stored and cuts it into pieces, rendering all data irrecoverable.
3. Is a Shredding Plant Secure?
Yes. A NAID AAA Certified shredding plant and process is designed with privacy protection at the forefront. Access to the facility is limited to screened records management professionals and features:
- Perimeter security
- Interior and exterior security monitoring
- Building access control systems
Your documents are transported to the shredding plant in GPS-tracked vehicles with a strict chain of custody.
4. What Does “NAID AAA Certified” Mean?
NAID stands for the National Association of Information Destruction, the organization which provides independent oversight for the shredding and destruction industry. To maintain AAA Certification, an information destruction provider must continually pass surprise audits that assess the following areas:
- Operational security
- Employee hiring and screening
- Responsible disposal of material
- Liability insurance
With a NAID AAA Certified destruction service, you can rest easy knowing your documents and media are destroyed to the highest standards by ethical people.
5. Is My Information Recycled?
Absolutely! Recycling is an integral part of the information destruction process. Destroyed paper and media are pulped and recycled to produce new paper, metal and plastic products.
If you don’t see your question answered here, stay on the lookout for more information destruction blog posts or give us a call. We love answering your questions!
Richards & Richards provides NAID AAA Certified destruction services for business throughout Nashville. For more information, please contact us by phone or complete the form on this page.
