Large plastic trashcans are available at home improvement and construction stores, as well as general commodity stores like Kmart, Target, and Walmart. They are also available online. Remove the documents from any envelopes or packages.
Bleach is a hazardous chemical and can cause serious illness if not safely used. Avoid contact with your skin and eyes; do not ingest bleach. Only mix bleach with water. Combining with other chemicals – such as ammonia or toilet bowl cleaners – can produce toxic, potentially deadly fumes. [4] X Research source It is advised to wear long sleeve clothing, pants, close toed shoes and an eye cover when working with bleach. [5] X Research source In the case you accidentally swallow any of the solution, immediately drink a small glass of water or milk. Call poison control at 1-800-222-1222. [6] X Research source
Do not use your bare hands to push the documents down. This can cause great harm to your skin. Instead use the paint turbine mixer, a broom stick, or else wear long rubber gloves. For example, assume you have 30L plastic bin with 22L of liquid. If you have too many documents for this and purchase a 90L bin, you should be using 6L of bleach and 57L of water.
If at any point you reach into the pulp to check the contents, always wear rubber or nitrile gloves to prevent skin exposure. [7] X Research source Broomsticks, canes, staffs and other long handled tools work as well. Anything that can reach deep into the container to churn and break apart the paper will succeed. Sift through the pulp looking for any large clumps. If there are pieces where you can still identify the information, break them apart by hand and then continue mixing.
Some people decide to use this dried pulp as mulch for their yards. However, if you go this route, it’s advised to not use bleach during the pulping process.
Be advised that in most cases it is illegal to openly burn trash in residential areas and cities. In some cases you will need a permit. Check your city specific regulations by searching your state’s name and “open burn regulations”. Another excellent option is professional burn cages. These are metal cages that function as outdoor incinerators. Burn barrels are another option. Steel drum barrels of 55 gallons are the most common, and will do a better job of keeping document fragments within. However, it is not recommended to use as they produce harmful toxins, and their use is illegal in some states, such as Illinois. It may also be safer to burn the individual piece inside of a cast-iron bathtub. Make sure that there is nothing in the bottom, such as plastic foot grips. This way, if it does somehow manage to get out of control, you have the tub with a ready supply of water.
For your safety, there should be no flammable shrubbery, paper, or material of any kind around the fire’s perimeter. To guarantee fires accidentally start and spread beyond the fire pit, pour sand around the perimeter. It is also advisable to place stones around the firepit. If you are having trouble getting the fire very strong, use lighter fluid. Be careful not to drop the bottle in the fire or spray too much at once. It is possible to create large explosions and bursts of flame that could injure you. Stand further away from the flame while spraying the lighter fluid to avoid singing your face, chest, and arms.
When burning, proper ventilation is important, not only to avoid smoke inhalation but also to ensure a full and proper burn. The open grate of a fire pit allows for this ventilation; so does limiting the amount of paper you insert at once. Watch the make sure no document fragments are blown from the fire. Even small amounts of information could be the exact valuable pieces other people desire. Burn the sensitive documents along with other pieces of scrap paper. If by accident a part is not burnt, the remains of the scrap paper mixed in will help confuse anyone who tries to read your information.
It is also possible to use a small amount of ash in composting units (so long as you did not use lighter fluid to make the fire). [8] X Research source Ashes spread around garden plants discourages slugs and snails. It is also beneficial to pour ash around the base of hardwood trees. [9] X Research source
Paper shredders can be purchased at office supply stores and are classified into six security levels based on the thinness of cut. One is the widest cut; six is the thinnest and approved for Top Secret government documents. Anything less than a 4 (1/16 * 5/8”) is not recommended for sensitive documents. [10] X Research source Most offices have paper shredders or record destruction services. Check with your office manager and see if you can bring in your own documents for destruction.
Do not put your hand or fingers in direct contact with the shredder’s mouth. Hold the documents by the end so that there is distance between you and the mouth. Once the shredder has the paper within its grip, release the documents. Above all, protect the safety of your hands. Traditional shredders (that cut paper into strips) won’t keep someone from putting it back together. Hand ripping isn’t a good idea either, especially on small documents (it takes 2 centimeters to find out a person’s Social Security Number).
Do not put your hand or fingers in direct contact with the shredder’s mouth. Hold the documents by the end so that there is distance between you and the mouth. Once the shredder has the paper within its grip, release the documents. Above all, protect the safety of your hands. Traditional shredders (that cut paper into strips) won’t keep someone from putting it back together. Hand ripping isn’t a good idea either, especially on small documents (it takes 2 centimeters to find out a person’s Social Security Number).
Do not use this method if there is a risk others will make an effort to recover the sensitive information. Do not use this method if the sensitive information could be used to cause you harm or distress.
Most overwriting programs do multiple “passes” of your data. Three passes are considered standard by U. S. government. [12] X Research source Back up any information you wish to preserve on an external hard drive. There are also programs like Eraser that allow you to manually overwrite specific files.
Although overwriting can potentially be reversed, the degaussing process causes permanent damage, and none of the data can be recovered. Be sure to back up anything you want to preserve onto an external hard drive or cloud storage. Do not operate a degausser if you have a pace maker, as it can cause damage to this important medical equipment. [14] X Research source
When using a blowtorch, wear heat resistant gloves, as well as a protective face shield. It is safest to work over dirt or sand to prevent fires or explosions. While working with a hammer or drill, wear protective gloves and a face shield to protect yourself from flying debris. It is also possible to shoot holes through the hard drive with a gun. Do not operate a firearm unless you are licensed to do so.
