4 Ways to Destroy Confidential Documents

When it's time to destroy old documents, it is important to choose a method that is both safe and efficient. Below we discuss the last four methods from the previous list, with their pros and cons, and give each a rating based on effectiveness, safety and environmental friendliness.

Table of contents

1. Water with Chemicals
2. Combustion
3. In-house Destruction
4. Professional Destruction Services: JunkBrothers

1 Water with Chemicals

This method involves immersing documents in a mixture of water and chemicals to dissolve the paper fibers.

Cons:

• May be harmful to the environment due to chemical waste.
• Often illegal due to the chemicals used.
• Remains of documents can sometimes still be recognizable.

Advantages:

• Can be effective for small amounts of paper.

Our rating: 3/10

2 Combustion

Incineration is a fast method to destroy large amounts of paper.

Cons:

• Not environmentally friendly; produces CO2 and other harmful gases.
• In many regions illegal due to emissions and fire hazard.

Advantages:

• Very fast processing of large quantities.

Our rating: 4/10

3 In-house Destruction

Use an office paper shredder for on-site document destruction.

Cons:

• Time-consuming for large quantities.
• Not always effective; documents can sometimes be reconstructed.

Advantages:

• Direct control over the destruction process.
• No need to take documents outside the company.

Our rating: 6/10

4 Professional Destruction Services: Junk Brothers

A service that specializes in destroying documents safely and in accordance with legislation.

Cons:

• May incur costs depending on the amount and frequency of destruction.

Advantages:

• Very safe; offers certified destruction and an official certificate.
• Complies with all relevant laws and regulations.
• Suitable for both small and large volumes.

Our rating: 9/10

The choice of a destruction method largely depends on your specific needs, such as the amount of material to be destroyed, data security requirements and environmental impact. For most organizations and situations, we recommend professional shredding services such as JunkBrothers due to their high security standards and regulatory compliance.