How Shred-it is Supporting Paper Recycling in Singapore

Every business, regardless of size, has a duty to promote greener workplace habits and reduce the environmental impact on our planet. Paper recycling is an essential part of this process. But did you know Singapore’s recycling rate actually decreased from 59% in 2019 to 52% in 2020¹?

Driven at large by the pandemic, paper recycling in particular has seen a steep decline owing to the rise in people printing off documents and disposing of them improperly when working from home. And beyond just being bad for the environment, this can also have severe security implications.  

The onus is now on businesses to do more towards driving positive change by supporting recycling, while ensuring confidential information remains confidential. So, decisive action is needed across Singapore – and we can support you every step of the way. 

In this article, we explore the importance of paper recycling, Shred-it’s own paper recycling process, and green initiatives you can introduce to reduce your own carbon footprint. All of which can be delivered while ensuring the same commitment to protecting your personal information.

The Importance of Recycling in Singapore

If you’re ever having doubts about the importance of recycling, just remember that as much as 95% less energy is needed to make products using recycled materials.

To put a number on the impact of having secure consoles in your office, we collected 1.1 billion pounds of shredded office paper in 2020, which avoided the need to harvest 9.3 million trees². 

Get in touch today to learn more about installing secure consoles in your office.

Steps to Support a Sustainable Office

We have explored some of the essential steps you can take to support sustainable offices in Singapore. Including the environmental benefits of a Shred-it All Policy and the need for education and awareness among your workforce when it comes to highlighting the individual impact they can have.

But beyond paper, it’s vital you remember to recycle your old hard drives too. However, when decluttering your old tech, don’t just chuck things in the recycling bin – data thieves will easily be able to retrieve and use your information. Our hard drive destruction services are a sure way to ensure they’re securely destroyed.

The Shred-it Recycling Process

When entrusting the document destruction services of Shred-it, you can do so safe in the knowledge that we securely recycle 100% of all shredded paper. Below is a brief overview of the Shred-it Recycling Process:

1. Confidential documents are deposited into a secure, locked container
2. On a scheduled basis, containers are emptied, and all confidential documents are shredded
3. A certificate of destruction is then issued to each customer
4. The shredded paper is transported to a paper mill for recycling
5. Shredded paper is then made into a pulp and put through a screening process
6. The newly recycled pulp is mixed with fresh pulp to manufacture new paper products.

 
Protect Your Business & Our Planet with Shred-it

Today, it’s more important than ever to protect the personal data of your customers, at the same time as doing your bit for our planet. Fortunately, Shred-it ensures that you never have to choose between the two with our ongoing commitment to protecting what matters. 

Get in touch to see how we can support your efforts to remain compliant and reduce your carbon footprint.
 
¹ Source: National Environment Agency
² Source: Stericycle Corporate Social Responsibility Report 2021

Disclaimer: This article is provided for your convenience and does not constitute legal advice. Readers should not take, or refrain from taking, actions based upon the content of this article. 
Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Please seek professional legal advice.