# Shredded Personal Paper Document Disposal: Best Practice **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746 "2010-01-13T02:47:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/21 "2010-01-14T15:50:21Z")
> [@633squadron](#): > > I use a cross-cut shredder and put the result into recycling. > > You could always save those postage-paid envelopes you occasionally get from mail solicitations and mail the shreddings in retaliation for being spammed. > > Or, shred everything, shake up the output bin, then drive around with the output bin and dump equal parts into five or six separate recycling or trash bins in different parts of your neighborhood. Whoever tried to reassemble your documents would have to dig around a _lot_. > > Two words: hydrochloric acid. 633squadron: truly awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/22 "2010-01-14T15:51:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Actually, the Wikipedia [article on the Iranian hostage crisis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_hostage_crisis) links to an [image](http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/nsa/publications/iran/irdoc.html) of one of the reassembled pages, which was clearly shredded using a strip-cut shredder. Dewey Finn: frightening ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/23 "2010-01-14T15:54:51Z")
Mix it with used tea bags or coffee grounds and sprinkle it around the bottoms of your shrubbery. (shrubberies?) Just make sure it all gets wet or it will blow around. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/24 "2010-01-14T15:54:59Z")
Our shredded stuff usually goes into several different trash cans in the house. These get bagged and dumped at different intervals, so even if you dig into one bag, you couldn’t re-assemble a whole piece of document. Given that the shredder bin has all sorts of different papers in it, I feel pretty safe. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/25 "2010-01-14T16:02:54Z")
If you’ve got a decent bank, bring your personal docs to them for shredding and/or disposing. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/26 "2010-01-14T22:13:46Z")
Eat it ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/27 "2010-01-14T22:38:11Z")
Seriously, people are so worried about their stuff that that gerbil-shavings crosscut stuff isn’t good enough for them? Man, I got better things to do with my time. ---
**Author:** ![Bob55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Bob55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob55)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/28 "2010-01-15T03:03:54Z")
Just rip the documents in several pieces, throw them in different garbage cans (maybe even alternate when you throw them out), and flush some down the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/29 "2010-01-15T19:01:35Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Seriously, people are so worried about their stuff that that gerbil-shavings crosscut stuff isn’t good enough for them? Man, I got better things to do with my time. I’m sure there are a few people who ran out to get the microcut machines. However, it’s mostly a marketing gimmick. If you’re in the market for your first shredder and you can choose regular cross cut or microcut, you will probably decide to take the microcut option if it isn’t too expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/30 "2010-01-15T22:38:59Z")
> [@633squadron](#): > > Two words: hydrochloric acid. 40 molal, baby! ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/31 "2010-01-15T22:42:10Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Seriously, people are so worried about their stuff that that gerbil-shavings crosscut stuff isn’t good enough for them? Man, I got better things to do with my time. Clearly, you are not a “capital P” Paranoid. You are very blessed not to have to worry about such things. ---
**Author:** ![PokerAKQJT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5ac83/32.png) [@PokerAKQJT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PokerAKQJT)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/32 "2010-01-16T04:54:22Z")
Keep in mind, for every document you shred there are likely 2 or 3 copies out there from the people who sent it to you that are NOT shredded. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/33 "2010-01-16T05:03:54Z")
I use mine as kitty litter. If someone wants to put it together after the cats have pooped over it, they are more than welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/34 "2010-01-16T05:22:51Z")
> [@Hilary\_Algar](#): > > 40 molal, baby! I shudder at the idea of what needs 40 molal HCl to be safely disposed. ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/35 "2010-01-16T16:49:31Z")
> [@PokerAKQJT](#): > > Keep in mind, for every document you shred there are likely 2 or 3 copies out there from the people who sent it to you that are NOT shredded. great :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hilary\_Algar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilary_algar/32/4282_2.png) [@Hilary\_Algar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilary_Algar)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/36 "2010-01-16T16:50:49Z")
> [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](#): > > I shudder at the idea of what needs 40 molal HCl to be safely disposed. One can never be too sure. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/37 "2010-01-16T16:58:00Z")
Cross cut shredder should be fine. To take it to the next step, mix up what’s in the bin thoroughly and put a half of it or so into the kitchen garbage each time you are ready to throw it out. You won’t likely have a full document in any one bag and what’s there will mix with any fluids or grease that’s in there and become useless. ETA: I suppose you could mix it in water before even doing that and make a big pulp ball. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/38 "2010-01-16T17:03:25Z")
I’m not sure what you’re concerned with, and why a cross cut shredder isn’t sufficient. But assuming that the micro cut shredders I referred to above are also insufficient, [here](http://www.dahle.com/high_security.htm)’s a link to a page listing shredders meeting DoD and NSA specifications. The resulting shreds are 1mm x 4.7mm, although the machines cost thousands of dollars. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/39 "2010-01-16T17:46:49Z")
Wow really? How much time would it even take for me to reassemble one sheet of paper I put through a cross cut shredder? I would think it would be impossible. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746/40 "2010-01-16T18:01:30Z")
I don’t home shred, and to be frank I think it’s a little bizarre, but I would love to have bags of shredded material for packing eBay sales. Bubble pack is very expensive, crumpled newspaper doesn’t pack all that well, and the shredded material I’ve been given from my place of work makes superb packing material. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shredded-personal-paper-document-disposal-best-practice/524746.md?page=3)