Shredding services help prevent costly identity theft (greaterseattleonthecheap.com)

Shredding services are inexpensive and easy to do. Compared to the cost of fixing your credit if your identity is stolen, it’s truly a bargain.

To protect yourself from identity theft, it is very important to securely destroy routine, but sensitive information. Merely tossing it in the trash or recycle bin is a habit you may one day regret.

Listed below are several ways to shred sensitive materials. You can choose convenient methods at modest cost or take advantage of seasonal free community shredding events.

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What to shred

Here are some of the common documents you need to shred:

Bank account and credit card statements
Insurance policies, contracts, and other legal documents
Medical records
Cancelled checks, Invoices, receipts, and pay stubs
Documents with signatures, addresses, social security numbers, or telephone numbers

Shred these and any other documents containing personal information that someone could use to steal your identity and create serious credit problems that can take many years to resolve.

Shred documents to avoid identity theft, which can be costly–and frustrating–to repair – DepositPhotos.com

Data destruction and shredding companies

These are several companies who provide shredding services for a fee. A paid service is useful for small businesses as well as individuals for large projects, such as when moving or downsizing.

Depending on your needs, some companies do more than just shred paper. Some can accept mixed media, including: hanging folders, plastic folders, compact discs, ring binders, and more.

Puget Sound shredding companies

These companies Puget Sound region offer industrial services that include not only paper shredding but data destruction on any type of media. Services vary, many offer economical drop-off service, pick-up service with offsite data destruction, and mobile or on-site shredding at your location. Check their website for details and pricing.

Allshred in Bremerton
SeaDruNar Recycling in south Seattle
American Shredding in Tacoma
ProShred in Tukwila
LeMay Mobile Shredding in Western Washington & Oregon

National shredding services

The following national chain stores offer shredding services at stores nationwide. They charge by the pound, which is useful if you are shredding small amounts (less than one box). Otherwise, drop-off shredding is a better deal.

How to save on shredding costs

The least expensive service is drop-off shredding. In this case, your documents are added to a larger batch that combines documents from multiple customers to be destroyed later. Your documents should be placed in a locked and secure holding bin while awaiting their destruction.

Drop-off is usually priced by the file/banker box and can be as little as $10 per box. Smaller amounts may be charged by the pound. To get the most shredding for your money, remove materials that do not contain sensitive information, such as file folders, instruction booklets, and other non-personal materials.

Pick-up service for files to be collected and destroyed later may be priced higher than drop-off or may require minimums. Mobile shredding is an enhanced service that shreds materials at your location. Pick-up or mobile on-site service is an affordable option for businesses that have large volumes of sensitive documents. For either type, you can request a one-time or occasional purge, or schedule regular on-going service (such as monthly or quarterly, depending on your volume).

If your volume is low, “do-it-yourself” or DIY shredding may be a better option. We offer more advice on DIY shredding options below.

Shredded paper – DepositPhotos.com

DIY document shredding

DIY shredding using a small home office machine is relatively inexpensive and convenient. The average cost of a home shredder is $50-$100. You can find shredders at slightly lower prices and of course at much higher prices.

Before you purchase a machine, be sure to confirm with your garbage collection service about the correct way to dispose of shredded paper. The correct type of disposal bin can vary depending on whether the paper is straight cut or cross-cut. For some services, straight-cut is placed in the recycling bin, while in others it goes in the compost or green waste bin. Cross-cut shredded material may also go in the garbage bin because it is neither recyclable or compostable–it depends entirely on the garbage collection service where you live.

A lower priced shredder will have limited sheet capacity, cut the paper in long strips, may require removal of staples, will require removal of paper clips, and may not shred materials other than paper, such as thick cardboard or plastic credit cards. For many households, careful attention to sorting paper and removing staples for use in a lower priced model should provide several years of shredding capability.

If you need or want more features, you will need to spend more money on a shredding machine. A cross-cut shredder, which cuts documents in two directions and destroys the information more thoroughly will cost more than a less expensive straight-cut model.

If your household has lots of paper mail such as credit card statements, utility bills, and other documents, or if you run a home business, your shredding needs will be higher volume and more frequent. In this case, the DIY route may not be your best option and you may need more volume or regular service from one of the above data destruction companies. Keep in mind that drop-off service can be very cost effective for homeowners and small businesses. If you require only a few boxes per year, drop-off service is a more economical choice over buying a shredding machine for home or office use.

But there is one more shredding method that is cheaper—namely, free community shredding events.

Free community shredding events

Free paper shredding events are hosted throughout the year by various communities and organizations. These events are similar to paid drop-off service at a shredding company—your bags or boxes are added to a larger bin for shredding later. Most community shredding events have limits on the amount you can bring. These community events may also be limited by the capacity of the collection bins. If they reach capacity before the scheduled end of the event, it will end early. So, go earlier rather than later if you can.

A few shredding events are not free. Some are fundraisers that request a donation to a charitable organization. The suggested fee may be higher than a paid drop-off service. But it’s for a good cause—and may be a tax deduction, so check with your tax adviser.

The following organizations list community shredding events throughout the year. Visit their website for more infomation on what is acceptable. Some also accept other recyclables or even donations to the local food bank or other charitable organization.

Kenmore and Lake Forest Park Fall 2023 Recycling Event

Saturday, September 30, 2023 from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Northlake Lutheran Church, 6620 NE 185th Street, Kenmore, WA 98028.
More info: City Residential Recycling Events | City of Kenmore Washington

Kent Recycling Events 2023

Mini Recycling Events take place on the following Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and focus on collecting TV’s & Electronics, Document Shredding, and Paint.

~~Friday, April 21. Kent Library – 212 2nd Ave N. 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.~~
~~Friday, May 12. Kent United Methodist Church – 11010 SE 248th St. 9:00 a.m. – noon~~
~~Friday, July 14. Glenn Nelson Park – 3216 S 268 St. 9:00 a.m. – noon~~
~~Friday, August 18. Hogan Park – 24400 Russell Road. 9:00 a.m. – noon~~

Traditional Recycling Events accept only the following items: Appliances, Batteries, Bulky yard debris (spring and summer only), Cardboard, CFC appliances, Concrete & Brick& Rock (summer and fall only), Documents for shredding, Electronics (No TV’s or monitors), Mattresses/futons & box springs, Porcelain (toilets, tubs, sinks), Propane tanks, Scrap metal, Styrofoam, Tires (Passenger tires only – limit 10 – spring and fall only), Textiles

~~Spring: Saturday, March 4. Hogan Park, 24400 Russell Road~~
~~Summer: Saturday, June 3. Kent Phoenix Academy, 11000 SE 264th St~~
Fall: Saturday, October 14. Hogan Park, 24400 Russell Road
For more information: Recycling Collection Events | City of Kent (kentwa.gov)

Pierce County free shredding events 2023

Remember to ONLY bring paper documents containing sensitive information to these events. Staples, paper clips, and rubber bands can be shredded and do not need to be removed. All shred events will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until the truck is full. For more information: Shred Events | Pierce County, WA – Official Website (piercecountywa.gov)

~~4/1/2023: Parkland/Spanaway Sprinker Recreation Center~~
~~4/8/2023: DuPont City Hall~~
~~4/15/2023: Gig Harbor High School~~
~~4/29/2023: Edgewood Northwood Elementary School~~
~~5/6/2023: Puyallup Elks Lodge~~
~~5/20/2023: Midland/Waller Ford Middle School~~
~~6/3/2023: Roy City Hall~~
~~6/10/2023: University Place UP Refuse~~
9/9/2023: Fredrickson Pierce County Central Maintenance Facility
9/16/2023: Key Peninsula Fire Station #46
9/23/2023: University Place UP Refuse
9/30/2023: Lakewood/Steilacoom West Pierce Fire & Rescue Station 21
10/7/2023: Parkland/Spanaway Sprinker Recreation Center
10/14/2023: Eatonville Community Center
10/21/2023: Sumner Library
10/28/2023: South Hill Pierce County Airport

Puget Sound region – LeMay FREE paper shredding events 2023

LeMay Mobile Shredding offers free community shredding across Western Washington. For more information: LeMay Mobile Shredding – Events

LeMay FREE shredding events around Puget Sound – Fall 2023

~~09 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 11:00 pm. City of Lynnwood | 20525 60th Avenue West, Lynnwood, WA~~
~~09 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Silvermark | 7901 168th Avenue NE, Redmond, WA~~
~~16 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Silverdale | 10488 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale, WA~~
~~16 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Belfair | 24180 State Route S, Belfair, WA~~
~~16 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. The Anacortes Family Center | Walgreens Parking lot, 909 17th Street, Anacortes, WA~~
~~16 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Puyallup-Meridian East | 17520 Meridian East, Puyallup, WA~~
23 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Poulsbo | 19724 7th Avenue NE, Poulsbo, WA
30 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Bainbridge | 10140 NE High School Road, Bainbridge, WA
30 SEPTEMBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Bremerton | 3425 Wheaton Way, Bremerton, WA
07 OCTOBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Gig Harbor | 4714 Pt. Fosdick Drive NW, Gig Harbor, WA
07 OCTOBER SATURDAY 9:00 am – 12:00 pm. Kitsap Bank-Port Orchard | 3324 Bethel Road SE, Port Orchard, WA
07 OCTOBER SATURDAY 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Sprinker Recreation | 14824 C Street S, Tacoma, WA

LeMay FREE shredding events around Puget Sound – Spring 2024

Federal Way free recycling event Sep 16, 2023 from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Tires, paper, and more. Bring your old commuter tires (limit 10 car, truck tires—NO off the road tires, tractors, excavators, large trucks) to this free recycling event to properly dispose of them with help from the City of Federal Way. Paper shredding for confidential documents you don’t need any more: Limit 5 file boxes or paper bags. More info: Shredding & Styrofoam and Tire Recycling | SouthKingTools

Office Depot free 5lb shredding thru April 29

Office Depot is making tax season less taxing by offering a helpful and much-needed service. Through April 29, customers can benefit from five pounds of FREE in-store shredding service at Office Depot or OfficeMax (regularly $.99 per pound). However, you do have to pay the sales tax.

Renton drive-thru shredding, Rx takeback, and foodbank event April 15, 2023

Saturday, April 15, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (or until trucks are full) at Renton Memorial Stadium. Shred-a-thon and prescription RX takeback event. Canned, dry goods, and monetary donations will be accepted to benefit the Renton Salvation Army Food Bank. More info: Shred-A-Thon & Prescription Drug Take Back – City of Renton (rentonwa.gov)

Other Western Washington free shredding events Apr-Sept 2023

Community shred events across Washington State. For more information: Community Shred Events | Washington State

~~Saturday, April 15, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Renton Memorial Stadium. Shred-a-thon and prescription RX takeback event.~~
~~Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (or until the truck is full). Sound Credit Union, 2502 196th ST SW, Lynnwood.~~
~~Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (or until the truck is full). Sound Credit Union, 2020 S. 320th St, Suite H, Federal Way, WA 98003.~~
Saturday, September 9, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Renton Technical College, NE 6th Place & Monroe Ave NE. Up to 5 boxes (banker box size) or equivalent in bags with be accepted.

BECU free drive-thru shredding events May 20, 2023

Free Shred Events every spring in Tukwila, Federal Way, Everett, and Bellingham. They’ll also collect cash and nonperishable donations to support a non-profit in your neighborhood. All events will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and shred until the trucks are full. For more information: Spring Shred and eCycle Event | BECU

~~BECU Tukwila Financial Center, 12770 Gateway Drive, Tukwila, WA 98168. Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will go to the Tukwila Pantry Food bank.~~
BECU Federal Way Pavilions Neighborhood Financial Center, 31411 Pacific Highway South, Federal Way, WA 98003. (Note: not the Crossings location.) Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will go to the Multi-Service Center.
Everett Mall, 1510 SE Everett Mall Way, Everett, WA 98208. (Enter on East Mall Drive and continue around the back of the mall past Floor and Décor. The event entrance will be on the south end of the mall.) Saturday, May 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations will go the Salt of the Earth’s Food Bank.

FedEx shredding services year-round

Shredding services are offered at $1.49 per lb. More info: Shredding Services In-Store| FedEx Office

Calendar of upcoming recycling events

The following events on our calendar include recycling events of all kinds that help you reduce, reuse, and cycle (e.g. consignment, flea markets, garage/yard sales, repair cafes, shredding & recycling, etc.).