I have records I want to have destroyed. What are my options?
You have several options, each of which varies in terms of security and cost.
1. You can purchase a good office shredder and shred it yourself. This option provides the highest level of security, but has several drawbacks. Most office shredders are limited to less than 10 documents at a time and all fasteners, but staples must be removed. It will take an entire day to destroy what Hudson Valley Shred & Recycle can handle in less than fifteen minutes.
2. You can take your documents to a local Recycler who will naturally destroy your documents in their process, however most paper is just baled and sold on the open market, frequently going overseas. Some Recyclers have a shredding capability and this is your least expensive option, however this is generally considered the least secure method.
3. You can use a shredding service. A shredding service will come to your location and either shred your documents On-Site or take them back to their facility to be shredded.
What is the difference between On-Site Shredding and Off-Site Shredding? Chart it out
An Off-Site shredding service will issue a Certificate of Destruction just like an On-Site service. They will come to your location, collect the material, take it back to their facility and promise to shred it, usually within 24 hours. Still, no option is as secure as shredding on-site, providing you the peace of mind of knowing your documents are safely destroyed and the opportunity to witness the process on our full-color monitors.
What is a Certificate of Destruction?
A shredding service issues a certificate saying they destroyed the material given to them.
Does a Certificate of Destruction guarantee my documents were destroyed? What if something I thought was shredded turns up later?
There is no guarantee with any type of service. Recycling companies have been known to issue Certificates of Destruction because the material does end up being destroyed in the recycling process. Since any shredding service does not know what is given to them or if there are other copies, they can offer no guarantee that any particular document was destroyed. The only way to be absolutely sure is to shred yourself or to use an On-Site service where you can watch the material being destroyed.
Why is On-Site shredding more expensive than Off-Site?
Historically, Off-Site shredding services are companies in the recycling business, which have added a dimension to their business by offering shredding. They are able to sort their clients documents into the various types before shredding and get a higher price from the paper mills. They are also able to save money by using a much less expensive truck for collections than a truck configured with a shredder.
Will Hudson Valley Shred & Recycle recycle my shredded documents?
Yes. All shredded paper products are taken to a local Recycler. Right now there is actually quite high demand for recycled products around the world.
What if my material has staples, paper clips, or other fasteners?
These items are no problem for either our shredders or the Recyclers. We can also do binders, books, and small amounts of discs and CD ROMs in the regular paper shredding pick-ups.
How can I estimate my shredding needs?
We try to convert customer volume estimates into standard amounts in order to determine the price estimate as well as when we have time in our schedule and room in our truck to do the job in one visit.
- A copy paper box holds approximately 50 lbs.
- The 30 gallon bag that collects material in our 40" executive console holds approximately 100 lbs. (see Bins and Consoles Tab)
- The 64 gallon roll-away bin holds approximately 200 lbs.
- The 95 gallon roll-away bin holds approximately 300 lbs.
What is a purge job? What happens if I underestimate my needs?
Purge jobs are for clients who may have less regular document destructions needs; purges may be appropriate for a year-end clean out or a big move. Using the volume detailed in a prior question, we will quote you a price. If the actual volume far exceeds the estimate, we will adjust the fee as needed.
What is Scheduled Service?
Scheduled Service by an On-Site shredding service is an alternative to shredding the day to day confidential documents with an office shredder. We place our locked Executive Consoles or Secured Roll-Away Bins in the offices of our route clients and return on a set schedule to shred the contents. There is not a shredder inside of the consoles, rather a large bag into which the documents are deposited. When we come to service the site, the consoles remain stationary. We remove the full bags, secure them and place an empty bag inside the console. The full bags are then transported in a Secured Roll-Away Bin to our shredder truck in the parking lot where the material is destroyed. Alternatively, clients with Secured Roll-Away Bins are provided with an empty Roll-Away Bin and the full Roll-Away Bin is transported to our shredder truck in the parking lot for destruction. Only our bonded and insured employees and the contact person at the client have the key to unlock the shred containers. Materials are never left unattended or unsecured prior to shredding. Our "hands free" shredding process means our employees do not directly handle your documents. The paper is deposited directly from the collection bins into the shredding compartment via the bin hoist on the side of the truck.
How do I know if I have the proper number of containers and proper service frequency?
For the first 90 days of service, we will note the fill level of each console on the invoice. The client can then decide whether to remove, add or move consoles or change the frequency. Extension of this monitoring period is available upon request.
What are the charges for delivering or removing containers?
There are no charges for delivery or pickup. There are also no charges for the use of our consoles. Clients with consoles will be serviced on a monthly, bi-monthly, or weekly basis as established in the initial consultation. If service becomes less frequent than monthly, we will remove the containers.
Why does Hudson Valley Shred & Recycle charge a flat fee for service rather than by the time?
The speed at which a shredder destroys material is dependent upon a number of factors including the type of shredder, humidity, sharpness of the knives, type of paper and the way the shredder is fed the paper. We have found that our clients do not wish to be concerned about the speed at which the Hudson Valley Shred & Recycle's employee or equipment works. By setting a fixed price per container, this is not the client's problem. Clients are also able to budget for the service in this fashion.
Is there anything that cannot be shredded?
Our state of the art truck will shred just about anything. When needed, we can destroy items such as hard drives, reel tapes, cassette tapes, and large amounts of plastics, discs, or CD ROMs. If the volume is considerable, we may need to schedule a special "product" run, as these items must be disposed of in a landfill.
What if the container gets full?
You have the option of leaving the material near the container clearly marked for shredding or, in the case of a console, changing out the 30 gallon bag with a replacement bag, also provided by us at no charge. We will not collect and shred material if it is not clearly marked. With shredding, there is no reconstruction and we are careful to avoid mistakes of this nature. If you are regularly over-filling the container or otherwise exceeding the initial estimates, we may encourage you to increase your service frequency or number of containers.
What customer support do you offer?
We recognize that customer satisfaction is earned with every service. We encourage you to contact us via e-mail or phone at any time. We guarantee we will respond within one business day.
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HV Shred, Inc. (845) 705-7279 Judith@hvshred.com We Put the Confidence in Confidential!
HV Shred, Inc. (845) 705-7279 Judith@hvshred.com We Put the Confidence in Confidential!
