Businesses in the UK and Ireland are recycling more securely shredded documentation than ever before, according to figures released by secure document destruction company, Shred-it, to mark World Environment Day 2011 last week.
Customers of the UK and Ireland document destruction company recycled the paper equivalent of 727,290 trees in 2010, 5pc more than in the previous year and 10pc more than the year before that. In collaboration with the government department responsible for the protection and expansion of Britain’s forests and woodlands, the Forestry Commission, Shred-it has calculated that the number of trees saved is the equivalent to replanting a forest the same size as Hyde Park with enough left over to reforest over Heathrow Terminal 5.
Shred-it’s Executive Vice President, EMEA, Robert Guice, says he is pleased that businesses have not cut back on addressing their environmental responsibilities despite the difficult economic conditions, “It would not have been surprising to see environmental concerns taking a back seat when raw material costs are rising and the economic recovery is still weak”, he said.
“But we have seen more companies realise that saving costs, maintaining the highest levels of information security and protecting the environment are not just possible but are a must have for any organisation wanting to walk the talk in terms of operating responsibly.”
The figures have been released to coincide with the 2011 World Environment Day which is themed this year around “Forests: Nature At Your Service”, which Shred-it believes is an ideal time to remind businesses that they can reduce their organisations’ negative environmental impact at the same time as protecting their reputation and bottom line.
The Forestry Commission calculated that the amount of paper recycled by Shred-it would cover an area equal to 291 hectares (one hectare is roughly the same size as Trafalgar Square) or twice the size of both Hyde Park and Terminal 5. Shred-it produced an environmental checklist outlining some important considerations for businesses when taking care of their document destruction needs:
Environmental Needs:
Make sure to use a data destruction provider that understands environmental responsibility – ask about your supplier’s current environmental targets and goals
If your supplier truly values the environment, they’ll be able to provide statistics about the positive impact they’re making through their overall operations
Ask your document destruction provider where the shredded paper goes. Make sure the shredded paper is recycled once it leaves your premise, and not just thrown in the landfill
Know and share the results of your recycling efforts. For example, calculate how many trees your office has “saved” by its paper recycling efforts. Then, you can keep tallies and try to increase this every year, and encourage employees to participate.
Security Needs:
Place all waste paper in secure receptacles prior to their destruction and recycling
Educate staff on the importance of keeping discarded documents secure
Ensure your document destruction provider has a strict chain of custody to ensure documents are secure until their destruction
Ask to view your supplier’s document destruction process
Request a document certifying that your paper waste has been securely destroyed.
