GDDI Frequently Asked Questions

Why Shred?
Dumpster diving is the number one reason not to throw away any information which others can use. The Supreme Court has ruled that once you place your material into a trashcan, recycling receptacle, or dumpster, you lose all privacy rights to that information, no matter how sensitive or proprietary it is. Even if this is your trashcan outside of your home or office. You may be held liable for negligence if the discarded material does harm to someone.

We have an in-house office shredder, so why would we outsource?
It's much safer and more cost-effective to work with Georgia Document Destruction. Time is money. It will cost you 3-5 times more to have an in house shredder than a service. The time your employees spend separating paper, removing paper clips and staples and doing the actual shredding is time that could be spent on more profitable business pursuits. The cost of a shredder, as well as labor, maintenance and disposal costs are usually much higher than expected (not to mention the noise, mess and dust produced by an office shredder). Actual shredding cost worksheet. Most importantly, Georgia Document Destruction also provides you with a Certificate of Destruction, which serves as proof that you are properly disposing of confidential information.

We store our records, so why do we need a shredding service?
Every document eventually outlives its useful purpose. And retaining them too long can put you in jeopardy of non-compliance under the privacy legislation. How long business records are stored should be determined by a retention schedule that takes into consideration the records usefulness to the business as well as legal requirements.
From a risk management perspective, once this period has passed, the only acceptable way of discarding these records is to destroy them using a method of complete destruction. Shredding is the safest way to ensure that documents are completely destroyed. And a Certificate of Destruction which documents the exact date and method used is not only prudent but a legal requirement.

What should I shred?
In general, all documents that have information that may compromise your clients identity and the privacy of your business should be destroyed. Also, documents which are designated for destruction by legislative mandates, such as HIPAA or FACTA should be destroyed:

• Loan Documents

• Utility Bills

• Financial Records

• Bank Statements

• Pay Stubs

• Canceled Checks

• HR records and outdated applications

• Personnel Identification

• Credit Cards

• Documents that contain social security numbers or credit card numbers

• Insurance Documents

• Medical Records

• Documents with any personal information.

• Tax Records

• Legal Records

• Credit information

• Proprietary information/ trade secrets

• Customer information

Do you work with small businesses?
YES, we do! Georgia Document Destruction provides service for small businesses, non-profits, and corporations. Small companies even those with just a few people have information to protect. We offer very affordable plans for companies of all sizes. Don't hesitate to call to see what we can do to fit your budget, increase your security, and peace of mind.

How much will this cost?
Cost is based on the size of the locked container you choose. We have different size bins and pick-up schedule options to fit everyone needs. Every shred job and schedule is different. Contact us and we will be happy to provide you with a free no obligation quote.

Do I have to remove all paperclips, staples, rubber bands from my work
before it is shred? And what about hanging files, binders, etc.?
No worries, you do not need to spend your time removing any of these. Just place your items in the bin and our truck will do the rest.

How will you ensure my security?
Georgia Document Destruction is fully licensed and bonded. We stand-by the work we do by providing a Certification of Destruction to our customers once the job has been completed. We provide you with a completely secure locked container. Upon pick up, the contents will be then taken directly to the on-site mobile shredding truck. At this time, your confidential documents will be attached to the truck and fed into the shredding system. All of this can be viewed from our viewing monitor located on the unit.

Can you shred other information besides paper?
Yes. In addition to paper, Georgia Document Destruction can also shred hard drives, CDs, Video Tapes, film, X-Rays, Media, and other similar information. We do ask that you keep these types of items separate from paper, so that each can be properly recycled.

Can I bring in my files to your office?
Yes, see hours of operation. We place your records into locked secure containers and we store those containers in our locked, alarmed offices which have very limited access. When the truck arrives at the end of the day we will shred your documents. If you need to witness the shredding you will need to arrange to come in after our trucks are in for the day.

What happens to my documents after they are shredded?
First all shredded paper is mixed together so that it is 100% impossible to reconstruct. All shredded material is kept under lock and key until it is brought to be recycled. It is shipped to paper mills where it is used as a pulp substitutes sparing the harvesting of new trees.