Hard Drive Shredding Service: Proper Disposal

For many years, companies have diligently shredded their sensitive paperwork as theft became an issue in almost every industrial neighborhood. It’s not just the paperwork that needs to be destroyed, however. Some of the most critical information is on a basic hard drive housed in the company’s server. Businesses may even have multiple hard drives to support all of their data needs. At some point, this data isn’t useful anymore to the business. Tossing the hard drive out is one of the worst mistakes anyone can make. That seemingly useless information is a goldmine for thieves. Almost every business needs a hard drive shredding service so that every data bit is secure and safe.

Start a Recycling Bin

For those businesses that are unsure of how to destroy a hard drive, you should know the first step toward secure shredding is simply collecting the items. An IT department might have a collection of hard drives sitting in a bin by an office desk. Collect all of the hard drives that are floating around the office, and lock them into a secure area. A manager’s cabinet or lock box may be a perfect place for temporary storage. Instruct the employees who deal with hardware removals that the components belong in a certain area. With a centralized collection, these hard drives will remain secure until they can be processed by the professionals.

Secure Pickup by Professionals

Contact a secure shredding company that has mobile services. These companies are outfitted with secure vehicles and trained individuals who can pick up items on a regular schedule. Mobile services reduce the time factor associated with hard-drive processing. Companies don’t have to sacrifice an employee’s time to drive out to a facility with the hard drives. The mobile unit simply shows up as scheduled, and the employees hand over the hardware.

Transport to a Centralized Facility

It’s normal for a reputable shredding company to transport the hard drives to a processing facility. Paperwork is often shredded on-site, but hard drives require heavy-duty machines for their destruction. This shredding facility should be relatively close to the company so that travel costs aren’t incurred with the service. There are fewer chances of the hardware becoming lost with a short travel trip as well. This facility will secure and destroy the hard drives without any chances of compromise during the entire process.

Inside the Hard Drive Shredding Service

Hard drives meet their demise by being dismantled through a series of machines. Core components of a hard drive, that house the sensitive data, including the disc and chips, are destroyed almost immediately using a hard drive shredder. These materials are normally divided out during the shredding process so that no parts can be possibly put back together. If a thief tried to put a shredded hard drive back together, it would be impossible to do so.

Reduction of Waste to Local Landfills

Responsible hard drive disposal services don’t automatically throw these components away. In fact, they’re recycled so that the materials can be made into alternative products. Using these materials means that they don’t enter the local landfills. Garbage volumes significantly decrease as a result. Companies that use shredders with recycling capabilities will know that they’re actively contributing to a better environment. This fact can be conveyed to direct customers, which only boosts the company’s reputation in the end.

Secure shredding isn’t offered by every San Antonio shredder so companies need to vet their selections before signing up for a service. Reputations are important in this industry, and companies can narrow down their selections by simply asking for recommendations from their colleagues. Online reviews are also helpful resources. When a company finds a reputable hard drive shredding service, they can partner with them for the long term.