Public services typically produce and store large amounts of personal, sensitive information on citizens. On a day-to-day basis, this constitutes great quantities of paper documents that contain such information and need to be dealt with. The best way of dealing with such materials is by shredding. Here, we list the reasons why public services should take shredding seriously. If you are looking for professional shredding services that deal with personal and sensitive information appropriately, check out: https://ontimeshred.co.uk/our-services/confidential-shredding/.
Changes in law
Recent changes in the law have made shredding documents more important than ever. The UK’s Data Protection Act 2018 is the UK’s implementation of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). It sees stricter regulations concerning the gathering, storing, and disposing of personal information. This also comes with increased fines and punishments for the business or organisation. The Central Hospital of Barreiro Montijo in Portugal has already been fined 400,000 euros under the GDPR as too many employees were able to access patient records. Shredding is the simplest way of ensuring that no paper documents fall into the wrong hands. All sensitive and personal information can be immediately disposed of safely and securely once necessary.
Protect citizens
Unauthorised access of personal and sensitive data is not only incredibly damaging for those affected but can also lead to illegal activities at their expense. Identity theft is common and having access to personal information can make such a crime much easier for the perpetrator. For many public services, much of the personal information about citizens is kept on paper documentation. Shredding can help stop this information from being accessed by criminals by ensuring waste paper documentation can never be used for criminal activities.
Fire Hazard
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Significant quantities of paper documents in storage constitute a fire hazard. Many public services have invaluable records within or many people working inside. Therefore, any fire hazard should be dealt with effectively. Shredding negates some of the fire hazard presented by paper documents by ridding the premises of excess paper.
Save time and space
Public services are under huge pressure from large workloads and small budgets. Shredding can help save time and space by dealing with paper waste comprehensively without the need for aid by any public service worker. This enables people to carry on with their work uninterrupted, with more space in storage.
Recycling
With environmental targets for public services becoming stricter, shredding is a convenient way of hitting recycling quotas. Professional shredding services can come to the premises, shred the paper materials, and then take the waste straight to the recycling depot.
These reasons show why shredding should be taken seriously by public services. Shredding can help protect citizens, as well as aid public services to run more efficiently.