Almost everyone has heard of shredder services and maybe even seen the shredding bins around businesses, but what is the actual purpose of a shredding service? As it turns out, paper and material shredding is one of the most important parts of risk management when it comes to businesses and individuals. Especially in this day and age, there are people who are out looking for confidential information in order to steal important personal information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, bank account information, or personal finance information. In addition, information can also be obtained and used for unethical purposes for businesses or individuals. Using information like this to commit crimes or for malicious purposes is becoming more frequent as technology advances and the usage of computers and the internet becomes more commonplace.

But what types of places really need to use shredding services? Surprisingly, it's more than you'd think. Although so much information is now being processed through electronic systems, many businesses and institutions still use quite a bit of paper or other materials for information storage. Think about a hospital, for example. From the moment one arrives, paperwork is being filled out. Names, addresses, social security numbers, and an entire assortment of personal information is written on the intake form alone. Although these forms may be scanned into a computerised system, something has to be done with the original. This is where shredding services come in.

Original documents care usually placed in a locked bin or container (only able to be opened by shredding service employees, of course) and stored until they are full or ready to be picked up. From here they are taken to an on or off-site shredding company where they will be shredded enough in order to make all documents unreadable and all information unable to be attained by potential information thieves.

Banking is another big industry that required shredding services. From the moment an account is opened to the second it is closed, paper documents are being filled out. Not only that, but cards are being manufactured and turned back in. A discarded credit or debit card is one of the easiest and most common ways to have money or even an identity stolen. With this card alone, one can potentially have full access to all money in a bank account and can even charge more than what is in that account, depending on the type of card.

There are so many other businesses and industries that use shredding services though - schools, most public and private businesses, government agencies, law firms, and virtually every field related to health care. It's no wonder shredding services are needed. Although the main reason for shredding is to remove and destroy all personal and private information that could potentially be used for ill intent, there is one other purpose they serve. Everyone has a right to privacy, and shredding services exist and work as well to protect that individual right.