How Sustainable Shredding Balances Security With Recycling

Everyone knows the risks of improperly disposing of important and sensitive documents. Identity thieves are cunning and are constantly looking for new opportunities for theft and fraud. Improper disposal is a serious danger to your privacy, as well as the privacy of your customers and employees. Just tossing your sensitive documents into the trash could have a negative effect on the Earth as well. Instead of putting your sensitive materials in the garbage bin, have them shredded and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.

How can paper hurt the Earth?

Most people assume that paper decomposes naturally and that there’s no harm in simply tossing out their stacks of old papers. Sadly, this is not the case. In fact, according to the EPA, discarded paper contributes to about 16% of all the waste we throw away. This makes paper one of the largest contributor to pollution. To make matters worse, paper isn’t as biodegradable as you might think. As it rots, paper releases toxic methane gas, which can do more damage to our environment than CO2 fumes. The amount of decomposing paper in our ecosystems could result in devastating consequences.

How is shredding sustainable?

With the process of post-shredding recycling, paper is given new life. It creates a cycle in which paper can be kept out of landfills and ecosystems and continuously reused in the creation of other products. Many shredding companies have already implemented a recycling process after destruction to protect sustainability. The goal is to keep the cycle going, and in today’s age, there is no shortage of paper to be used.

The post-shredding recycling process

There are many different ways to shred your private documents records. You can hire an on-site shredding company, drop your documents off at a facility, or shred them yourself. However you choose to do it, make sure that the destroyed documents are recycled.

After they’ve been shredded and collected, the papers are put into vats of special chemicals that remove the ink. Then, the scraps are washed, refined, and mashed into a pulp that can be used to create napkins, new paper, cardboard, and other products. As these new products are used and once again disposed of, the cycle will start again. As long as the materials are recycled, the process can continue.

What are the benefits of post-shredding recycling?

By making sure your documents are recycled after shredding, you not only keep yourself safe, you keep the environment safe, too. Making paper from scratch requires the use of large amounts of fully-matured trees, water, and oil. Recycling your paper can drastically reduce the use of these resources and minimize the amount of pollutants released into the air and oceans. It can also lower the amount of energy used by a large margin.

Recycling is an excellent way to give you peace-of-mind that your documents are safely destroyed in an environmentally friendly process. It also gives potential clients and customers a positive and friendly view of your business.

Sustainable document shredding in Amarillo Texas

Do you or your business have documents that need to be disposed of safely? Call UCI Document Destruction today. We understand the importance of recycling and take pride in our environmentally conscious and cost effective document destruction solutions. Send us an Email or call us at (806) 372-7722 to learn more about Our Services. You can also visit us at 1000 S. Adams St. to see how we can help your business.