What Happens to Paper After it is Shredded?

Here is a reminder of what happens to your paper after it is shredded.

On the blog, we often talk about the importance of paper recycling and shredding your documents – not only for security purposes, but also to protect the environment. 

Today, we are working harder than ever as a society to optimize our use of products and reduce carbon emissions.

Consider this fact – the average American creates about 4.43 pounds of trash per day. About 30 percent of that is paper. As such, it is important that we keep moving toward limiting this unnecessary waste.

Recycling is key. In fact, it is estimated that one ton of office paper, once recycled, can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, and 3 cubic yards of landfill space.

Recycling paper can also cause a profound reduction in air pollution and also provide energy savings.

To serve as a bit of a reminder on how the process works when it comes to paper shredding, we’re offering an overview on what happens to paper after it is shredded.

First, documents that are ready for shredding are typically collected in a locked receptacle/bin, and then picked up by a licensed and certified waste hauler like Legal Shred for safe disposal.

After a document destruction company completes the shredding process, a certificate of destruction is issued.

The shredded paper is then hauled off to a recycling center, or paper mill to be made into new items.

To make this possible, the shredded papers undergo a process that strips away all words and colors on the paper using a chemical wash and heating process. Then, the shredded paper is compressed and flatted for reuse.

If you need assistance with shredding and disposal of paperwork at your facility, we’d love to help.

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