FAQ’s

  • Yes, absolutely. At Valley Green Shredding, we take security and compliance seriously. To adhere to our strict internal policies and maintain our i-SIGMA NAID AAA Certification, we conduct thorough screenings for all access employees—both upon hire and randomly every year.

    Our third-party screening process includes:
    ✅ Drug screening
    ✅ Criminal background checks at the local, state, and federal levels, covering the past seven years

    Additionally, the results of these screenings are verified annually by an independent auditor from i-SIGMA, ensuring full compliance with industry standards. These audits occur on both an announced and unannounced basis, reinforcing our commitment to transparency and accountability.

    No one in our organization is exempt from screening—not even the owners. We firmly believe that maintaining the highest level of trust and security begins with holding ourselves to the same rigorous standards we expect of our team.

  • Choosing a shredding service over recycling offers distinct advantages, primarily centered around security and legal compliance. Here's why you should consider it:

    1. Enhanced Security: Confidential documents must be securely destroyed before recycling. Recycling services typically use open collection containers accessible to anyone. Their employees are not security-screened personnel, raising the risk of unauthorized access to your sensitive information. Your paper remains intact during transportation in recycling trucks, exposing your private data to potential breaches. At recycling warehouses, which are often accessible to the public, paper is sorted without adequate privacy safeguards.

    2. Legal Obligations: Legal precedent dictates that once you dispose of material in a trashcan, recycling receptacle, or dumpster, you forfeit privacy rights to that information, irrespective of its sensitivity or proprietary nature. It's important to note that these laws protect those retrieving the information, not you. In some cases, you may even be held liable for negligence if discarded materials cause harm to others.

    For maximum safety and peace of mind, choose Valley Green Shredding. Our services align with the requirements of crucial legislation, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 (also known as the Financial Services Modernization Act). Shredding has emerged as the recommended method for handling sensitive documentation in compliance with these vital regulations. Protect your data and ensure compliance with Valley Green Shredding.

  • There's no need to remove them. Our industrial-strength shredder can effortlessly handle paperclips, staples, and fasteners.

  • Certainly! Small organizations often benefit greatly from outsourcing non-revenue generating tasks. At Valley Green Shredding, we understand that resource constraints mean each team member wears multiple hats. Our core mission is to offer all businesses the most secure, efficient, and cost-effective means of protecting their information assets. Even if you have fewer than 10 employees, we're committed to tailoring our services to your specific needs. Don't forget, we provide reliable infrequent purge services you can rely on.

  • To streamline your file sorting process, we offer the option to request containers in advance of the shredding date. We will provide you with as many containers as you anticipate needing.

  • We ensure that all the shredded paper is responsibly managed. It is delivered to a local recycling facility with whom we have a formal agreement outlining the specific procedures for handling the paper. At the recycling facility, our shredded paper is combined with tons of shredded paper from other NAID AAA Certified companies. This combined paper is then compacted into bales and transported to a local pulp mill, where it undergoes pulping and is repurposed into new paper products.

  • No, we utilize a large, commercial shredder that is permanently installed in our specially equipped trucks. These trucks will be parked in a convenient location, such as your parking lot or adjacent to your building. Shredding is performed on-site, and you are welcome to observe the process if you wish. This approach ensures complete security and is considered the industry's gold standard for shredding services.

  • No. At Valley Green Shredding, our mission is to provide secure, compliant, and efficient document destruction services. We understand that some customers may request an inventory of items that have been shredded. However, due to the nature of our process and industry standards, we do not inventory individual documents, verify their inclusion for shredding, or confirm specific items—regardless of any obvious titling or identification.

    See more details here

  • Money! It will cost you 3 to 5 times more to shred in-house than to have a shredding service. Amortization of a shredder, staff time, and square footage for the operation, maintenance, power costs, and disposal costs all add up to much more than we charge – and we do all the work!

  • Our fixed-week interval model offers service frequencies ranging from every 1 to 12 weeks, providing a predictable schedule that isn’t affected by the varying lengths of calendar months. Because the interval is based on weeks rather than months, you know exactly when your service is due regardless of whether a month is shorter or longer. This also means that in some cases, you may receive more services in a calendar year. For example, with a four-week interval, you’ll get 13 services in a year instead of the 12 you might expect with a traditional monthly schedule.

  • Absolutely. Once we've completed the shredding as per your request, we furnish you with a paper certificate. This certificate bears the signatures of our operator and an assigned employee at your premises, attesting to the destruction.

  • No, it does not. The Certificate of Destruction serves as supplementary documentation for your Records Manager and Retention Program.**

  • Is using an office shredder sufficient?

    A: While using an office shredder may seem like a convenient option, it comes with certain limitations and inefficiencies. Here's why our shredding service offers a superior solution:

    1. Cost-Effectiveness: Manually shredding documents can be costly, primarily because it consumes valuable labor hours. Having your valuable employees stand over an office shredder, feeding it one or two pages at a time, is not the most efficient use of their time and skills.

    2. Time Efficiency: A typical office shredder can handle approximately 20 pounds of paper per hour. This means that shredding a substantial amount of paper can be a time-consuming process. For instance, it would take three hours to shred just one case of paper using an office shredder.

    3. High Throughput: In contrast, our shredder is designed to destroy up to 3,600 pounds of paper per hour. This significantly boosts productivity and ensures that your document disposal process is swift and efficient, saving your organization valuable time and resources.

    4. Enhanced Security: Another critical factor to consider is security. Most office shredders shred documents into strips, which can be reconstructed if someone is determined enough. Our shredding service employs advanced techniques to ensure that your documents are securely and irreversibly destroyed, minimizing the risk of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.

    While office shredders can be a basic solution, our shredding service offers a more cost-effective, time-efficient, and secure alternative for managing your document disposal needs.

    Use our Self-Assessment Calculator here!

  • At Valley Green Shredding, we prioritize the protection of your sensitive information. We diligently adhere to HIPAA requirements and fully comply with all necessary regulations for the secure destruction of confidential materials. Our commitment to privacy and security is outlined in our comprehensive Operations Manual, which details the rigorous policies and procedures that guide our operations. This manual covers every aspect of our service, from our driver's responsibilities to the handling of confidential materials, transportation to our shredding facility, and the secure shredding process itself, all the way through to our environmentally responsible recycling procedures. Your privacy and security are paramount to us, and we leave no room for compromise.

  • At Valley Green Shredding, we are committed to providing the highest quality records management services while ensuring long-term sustainability and value for our customers. As part of our operations, we periodically review our pricing structure to account for changes in costs, market conditions, and improvements to our offerings.

    Why Pricing Adjustments Are Necessary

    To maintain the standards you expect from us, our pricing adjustments help us:

    • Offset increases in operational costs, such as fuel, labor, and materials.

    • Invest in new technologies and innovations to enhance our services.

    • Continue to meet evolving compliance and industry standards.

    When Adjustments Occur

    Pricing adjustments are typically made annually on January 1st. All customers will receive a notification of any upcoming changes on their invoices, statements, or other correspondences.

    How Adjustments Are Calculated

    Adjustments are determined based on:

    • Industry benchmarks and market analysis.

    • The costs of materials and services directly impacting our operations.

    • Inflation and other economic factors.

    How We Notify You

    We ensure transparency by:

    • Including a note about the adjustments in your invoices.

    • Sending advance email notifications to your account contact.

    • Posting updates here on our website.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    1. How will I know if my pricing has changed?
    You will receive a notification detailing the new pricing structure before it takes effect.

    2. Can I lock in my current rate?
    Certain long-term agreements or promotions may allow for fixed rates. Please contact us to discuss options.

    3. How much will my price increase?
    Adjustments are kept as modest as possible and will be outlined in your notification.

    Contact Us

    If you have any questions or concerns about our pricing adjustments, please don't hesitate to reach out:

    All of us here thank you for your continued trust and partnership. We value your business and look forward to serving you.

  • Even if you don’t receive a new service calendar, your service dates remain exactly as they were scheduled at the end of the previous year. In other words, the calendar that was established before the start of the new year continues to guide your service schedule.

    Because we provide updated calendars on a request-only basis, it’s important to proactively know your service date. We encourage you to:

    • Review Previous Communications: Refer to the service calendar you received at the end of the previous year. This document contains all the service dates that will still be in effect.

    • Stay Informed: Keep track of your scheduled service date. If you’re unsure when your service is due, please verify it by checking the calendar provided or through your online account if available.

    • Request a Calendar: If you would like a printed or digital copy of the current service calendar, simply reach out to our customer service team. Since calendars are sent out only upon request, contacting us will ensure you have the most up-to-date schedule on hand.

    By taking these steps, you can avoid any confusion and ensure your service continues uninterrupted according to the established schedule.