What Can and Can’t Go in Shred Bins?

Shred bins serve a vital purpose in the data destruction process, as they ensure all documents and electronic media remain secure at all times; however, to maintain consistency in the process and the safety of those conducting the shredding, businesses must follow strict guidelines about what can and cannot be placed in those bins.

Educating yourself and your employees about proper shred bin use is the best thing you can do to ensure a smooth process from start to finish.

What Can Go in Shred Bins?

Some items shred bins are specifically made to store, and it’s in everyone’s best interests to place only those items in the provided containers.

Such items include the following:

Sensitive Documents

It’s never a good idea for any business to toss papers containing sensitive client or business data into the trash. A secure shred bin ensures bad actors can’t get their hands on those documents, and it can keep your business from experiencing a data breach due to improper disposal of information.

Hard Drives

Your computers’ hard drives should always go in carts specifically labeled for them, as your data destruction company will likely be using a special shredder to destroy them. The same goes for all of your storage media, including CDs, DVDs, and flash drives.

Cell Phones

Don’t forget that cell phones store information just as hard drives do. They may not be shreddable, but they must be placed in a bin with other electronics or storage media, as they require a special destruction process.

IT Equipment

Like anything else electronic, you must ensure your IT equipment makes it into the correct bin to avoid delays and issues with the shredding process.

You can safely place your IT equipment, such as computer towers, monitors, keyboards, and tablets, into a shred bin if your data destruction partner provides a special container for them.

What Should You Avoid Putting in Shred Bins?

Whether your office is shredding paper or getting rid of electronic items, there are some items that should never be placed in your storage bin, such as:

• Foods and Drinks: Your shredding bin is not the trash can, so food and drinks of any kind are a no-go
• Trash: Even if your trash items are paper goods, they don’t belong in the shred bin, and they will take up space that could be used for legitimate items
• Glass (and Other Sharp Objects): Glass items and sharp objects like syringes can significantly damage equipment
• Office Supplies: Ink, toner, hole punchers, staplers, and other unauthorized office supplies can cause harm and should not be included
• Wrong Items: Avoid putting electronics in bins meant for paper and vice versa, as different items will go to different shredders

These items can cause harm to the equipment or to the person shredding your materials and should, therefore, be avoided at all costs.

Gain Peace of Mind With SEAM Security Containers

One of the best things about having your business partner with SEAM for data shredding is that we provide lockable, tamper-evident containers to help you keep your documents and media secure before, during, and after the destruction process. These containers are provided free of charge, and our team is always available to answer any questions about what to put in them.

From solid-state drives to shelves full of sensitive paper records, we’ve got your data destruction needs covered across both North Dakota and South Dakota. Call us today for a free quote or to discuss your shredding options.