Mississauga is one of Toronto’s most economically thriving cities. It currently has 95,644 businesses operating within its borders and a Gross Domestic Product of $52.55 billion in 2024.
For a business to succeed, a lot of factors come into play. One of these factors is proper data management, which includes destroying information and documents when necessary.
However, finding a method that works for you can be somewhat tricky.
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Disposal Methods You Can Choose From
Listed below are a few of the different ways you could get rid of sensitive or outdated business documents efficiently and adequately. This should help you find the right method of document shredding in Mississauga.
Document Shredding
Shredding is one of the more commonly used methods for properly getting rid of any sensitive documents for your Mississauga business. Using this method, your papers go through a machine that cuts them into narrow strips, which are then thrown away, effectively destroying the information within them.
Large-scale shredding equipment can be quite costly and can take up a bit of time. The most practical way to do this is to leave the process to professionals that offer reliable document shredding in Mississauga.
Hiring professionals might require a fee, but their services also include relevant certification and the peace of mind that your sensitive documents were appropriately destroyed.
Burning
If you have an appropriate space, you can also burn your documents to destroy them. This method reduces the paper to ashes, ensuring that none of it is readable or usable anymore.
If you choose to dispose of documents this way, make sure that you do this outdoors or in a well-ventilated area such as a fireplace or barbecue pit. Fire can be hazardous, especially indoors, so it’s recommended that you take the proper safety precautions when doing this.
Note that Mississauga does allow open-air burning, but only in certain situations. Check the city’s rules and apply for a permit if necessary. After burning, make sure to check and crush the ashes to see if you didn’t leave any unburnt or legible sections.
Water Soaking
Have you ever left a receipt in your pocket and found it unreadable after washing and drying the garment? Water is another good way to destroy any sensitive documents your company may have.
If you only have a couple of pages to destroy, you can put them in a plastic bag filled with water and wait for a few hours to a day. You can also tear up the pages to speed up the process.
If you have a lot of documents, you will need a larger vessel, such as a bucket or a tub. The process will also take a lot longer since there is more to destroy. You can manually tear up the pages or use an immersion blender to help with the process.
This water method is an affordable and easy way to destroy sensitive papers, however, it can be pretty messy and time-consuming.
What Documents Require Destruction?
Many business documents contain sensitive or personal information that could be dangerous in the hands of identity thieves or other malicious parties. These documents include:
- Expired ID cards or documents (e.g. passports)
- Bills
- Financial statements
- Medical reports
- Legal documents
- Payroll documents
- Tax records, etc.
Proper storage and disposal of documents containing private or sensitive information help protect your business, your employees, and your clients. Data is a powerful thing, and business owners in Mississauga need to equip themselves with the tools or knowledge required to handle and destroy them properly.
