Paper shredder
From Paperless Office
Once you scan a piece of paper into digital form, you have to do something with the physical paper. Many times the paper contains confidential data. To protect against identity theft you should destroy most of the paper that you scan.
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[edit] Types of shredders
There are a handful of different types of scanners. The biggest difference is how fine they shred the paper.
[edit] Strip cut shredder
A strip shredder cuts documents into long strips about 1/4 inch wide and the length of the original paper. While this would inconvenience someone who is trying to read the information, it is fairly simply to piece it back together. This type of shredder should only be used for non-senstitive information. In fact, if your paper is so unimportant you can use this type of shredder, you probably shouldn't shred it at all (see Recycling)
[edit] Cross cut shredders
Cross cut shredders cut paper as the strip cut shredder, but also cut across as well. Depending on the shredder, this will produce pieces that are 1/4 inch by 1.5 inches to 1/8th by 1/8th inch pieces. Generally cross cut shredders produce a level of security that will keep your information safe from most people. However, it still can be reassembled and if the stakes are high enough, people will put the pieces back together again. This type of shredding isn't used for sensitive government information for this reason.
For the average person, this type of shredding is very sufficient and still offers the possibility of recycling the shredded materials. While it isn't impossible to reassemble, pretty much any identity thief will move on to an easier target.
[edit] Micro cut shredders
Micro cut shredders are similar to cross cut shredders, but they make much smaller pieces. They turn paper into dust making it impossible to reassemble. (It also makes it nearly impossible to recycle.) Micro cut shredders can reduce a normal piece of paper into 6,000 to 12,000 pieces.
[edit] Recycling
Not all recycling centers take shredded paper. When paper is shredded--especially when it is micro-shredded--the fibers that are necessary for recycling are shortened. Longer fibers can be used to create better quality paper. The small pieces make it difficult to recycle paper that has been shredded.
Also some recycling plants have automated systems designed to remove the dirt, flecks of plastic etc. from the paper that goes through them. Small shreds of paper are pulled out in this process so in those plants they just get discarded as trash. Obviously recycling plants don't want to have to pay to dispose of large quantities of garbage, so many just won't take shredded paper at all. Places that do take shredded paper, tend to require that it be just paper. You can't have any plastic pieces in it because their systems can't pick out the small pieces of other materials.
There are a number of ways to recycle shredded paper on your own. You'll find a lot of ideas and instructions on the Internet. Here are some things people are doing with shredded paper:
- Mulch for gardens.
- Kitty litter.
- Insulation.
- Worm farm bedding.
- Packing material.
- Kindling to help start fires.
