How To Protect Your Identity Using Mobile Shredding?

With the rise of identity theft and data breaches, it's essential to take proactive steps to protect our personal information.

An often overlooked yet effective method is mobile shredding services, which are slowly becoming popular among organizations for their lasting benefits.

Recycling organizations such as Recycle Technologies aim to prevent identity theft via documentation, which is why we provide a 100-mile radius mobile shredding service in the Minnesota and Wisconsin area.

A plus point of our service is that a mobile shred truck comes directly to your office, home, or your scheduled location to shred your documents.

In this blog post, we will delve into the significance of mobile shredding and provide valuable insights on how it can help us maintain the security of our identities in a convenient and trustworthy manner.

The Dangers of Identity Theft

With cybercriminals always developing new methods to steal our personal data, identity theft has become a common concern.

Recent statistics show that about one-third of all U.S. residents will become victims of identity theft in their lifetimes.

Significant monetary losses, ruined credit, and even legal complications are common for victims. Because of how long it takes to fully heal, prevention is always preferable.

Proper Document Disposal

Proper document disposal is a crucial step in safeguarding our identity. Merely tossing sensitive documents in the trash can expose us to potential identity theft.

This is where mobile shredding services come to the rescue.

Mobile shredding services involve secure on-site destruction of sensitive documents.

A professional shredding company arrives with their trusty mobile shredding truck, ensuring that our documents are shredded right in front of us, instilling confidence in the process.

When we hire a mobile shredding service, a trained technician arrives at our location with the mobile shredding truck.

They collect our documents and shred them right then and there, guaranteeing both security and efficiency. We can even witness the shredding process for peace of mind.

Key Steps to Protect Your Identity Using Mobile Shredding Services

Identify Sensitive Documents

The first step is to identify the sensitive documents that warrant shredding. Financial statements, medical records, credit card statements, and any paperwork containing personal information should top the list.

Establish a Document Retention Policy

Creating a document retention policy helps us stay organized and know when to shred documents. It's essential to know how long to keep certain records before disposing of them securely.

Document Collection and Storage

Securely collecting and storing sensitive documents until shredding time is essential. Locked filing cabinets or safes can help prevent unauthorized access.

Verify the Credibility of Mobile Shredding Providers

Before selecting a mobile shredding provider, it's essential to verify their credibility. Checking for certifications and industry accreditations will reassure us of their commitment to security and compliance.

Mobile Shredding Services: A Sustainable Solution

Apart from protecting our identity, mobile shredding services contribute to environmental sustainability. Shredded paper can be recycled and reused, reducing the need for new materials.

Mobile shredding services also ensure compliance with data protection regulations. By shredding sensitive documents properly, we meet legal requirements and avoid potential penalties.

Embracing mobile shredding services aligns with the principles of a circular economy. Recycling paper helps conserve natural resources and reduces waste.

Also Read: Amazing Benefits of Mobile Shredding That You Must Know

Conclusion

In conclusion, protecting our identity is paramount in our digital age. Recycle Technologies' mobile shredding services offer a reliable and convenient solution to keep your sensitive information out of harm's way. 

By understanding the risks, adopting proper document disposal practices, and taking additional measures, we can significantly reduce the risk of identity theft.

Embrace the power of mobile shredding services today and take charge of safeguarding your personal information.

Remember, prevention is key, and mobile shredding services play a pivotal role in ensuring our identities remain secure.

If you want to avail our shredding service, contact us at (800) 305-3040 or fill out the inquiry form to receive free, no-obligation quotes from us.

What Items Are Not To Be Thrown Into Curbside Recycling?

When it comes to recycling, there are some common mistakes that we are prone to make. This is all about knowing what we can throw in the trash and what we can recycle. We have already covered what can be recycled. Now we are going to talk about which items we should never place in our curbside recycling.

Biodegradable & CompostablePlastics

Items in this category cannot be recycled. So don’t throw them in your curbside recycling. For recyclers separating regular plastics from biodegradable is like finding a needle in a haystack. They also run a hazard of contaminating plastic waste streams. It is wise to keep them out of general trash.

Polystyrene Foam or Styrofoam

This foam is great for protecting products as they are good for transport. However, throwing this foam into your curbside recycling is just not right. Specialist recycling services can help you recycle this foam. The main reason curbside recycling is not good is that it is too fragile and breaks away during collection. It can contaminate other waste streams.

Dirty or Wet Cardboard

You can recycle clean pizza boxes but not the wet kind. It is that simple. So, there is no point in throwing them in your curbside recycling bin. These kinds of items are great for general waste bins. Only recycle it when it is clean.

Paper Towels and Tissues

Paper recycling happens about 7 times.  Recycling it every time shortens the fibers and its quality becomes shady. Just like paper towels and tissues as they cannot be recycled. The truth is no one wants to recycle used tissues. It is an unpleasant scenario. It can contaminate recycling streams.

Broken Glass

Commonly, broken glass is thrown into curbside recycling. Keep in mind that broken glass recycling is not possible. This is because glass breaks the moment pressure applies itself. This is a common sight for recyclers when they are either sorting or collecting. It is also a safety hazard for the cleaning staff.

Soft plastics

Items in this category include plastic bags, zip-top bags, bubble wrap, shrink wrap, crisp packets, and pasta packaging can cause the worst recycling contamination. They get stuck during sorting. This can cause the recycling machine to shut down for manual release. It can create unnecessary safety hazards and a potential loss of income.

Food Waste

Food has no place in curbside recycling. Recycling facilities aren’t able to process it. These are needlessly disposed of in landfills as they have zero contamination. However, they can contaminate cardboard boxes which can become a hassle for recycling facilities. The best solution for food waste is to do composting.

Curbside Recycling

Electronic Devices or E-waste

E-waste must never be thrown in curbside recycling. Specialist recyclers such as Recycle Technologies can handle all kinds of e-waste or any appliance with a cord or battery. This includes items like cell phones, computers, TVs, household appliances, and toys. Apart from that it is illegal to send e-waste into landfills in some states. Please check local laws when disposing of them, and no they are not safe to dispose of in curbside recycling bins.

Clothes

Textiles and clothing cannot be recycled through your curbside recycling. They can become a serious risk during the collection and sorting stage of the recycling process. That is why in the recycling industry these are tanglers. These items can shut down the recycling machinery. Items of these types are ropes, cables, garden hoses, and soft plastics. Your only option is to sell them or donate them to charity.

Light Bulbs

Large batteries and electronics, broken or spent light bulbs cannot be thrown in curbside bins. Companies like recycling technologies and lighting resources can help you dispose of them safely. This is because they contain mercury. To properly dispose of mercury through recycling we need to be safe and secure.  Some types of LED bulbs contain lead and arsenic. With Light bulb recycling we can recover materials that can help create newer products.

Also Read: 6 Recycling Myths Busted by Recycle Technologies

Why curbside recycling is not a viable option?

Curbside recycling is for a specific purpose. To dispose of food waste and other items that are less hazardous. Remember all curbside recycling bins are handled by people. So we have to make sure that our waste doesn't injure them in any way. That is why the above items should never be disposed of in curbside recycling bins. They are a hazard to you and the people who try to dispose of them.

Conclusion

The main goal of this topic is to guide you is to educate you on the dangers of not properly recycling Not adhering to the writing on the wall can lead you to jail or worse fines.   These things might be a joy for you but for others, it could become a hazard. So, when disposing of trash make sure to rethink what goes where. All e-waste goes to a recycler for disposal. Trust Recycle Technologies to do the deed. As we have been doing it since 1993. Recycling is close to our hearts.

Seven Things That Are Recyclable Which You Never Knew They Weren't

Knowing is better than guessing. The former gives you an edge. This way you can anticipate and develop solutions as per challenges. The same case is for what items you can recycle. Curbside recycling is not the best place for items present in this list. Especially e-waste. For that, you require special disposal to prevent toxic elements from escaping.

By throwing them in our curbside bin we ensure that happens, and they pose a great risk of contaminating our water sources. Recycling is the only way to prevent this from ever happening.  The incident in Flint was because e-waste was not properly handled. The pollutants contaminated the water sources and guess what Mercury poisoning came into effect.

Here are seven things that you thought you couldn't recycle, but you can

Batteries

Several materials help in creating batteries. These components are toxic to human use and the environment. Once they come to interact, these chemicals can contaminate waterways and endanger human life. The good news is almost all the components present inside the batteries are claimable. They can help us create new batteries, and we don’t unique to mine virgin resources to do so. It has never been easier to recycle batteries and with Recycle Technologies you can easily do that. Our mail-in program and drop-off facility can help you with battery recycling. It is wise to keep e-waste like this from general waste and curbside bins.

E-Waste

Your Mobile Phone

Many people are not aware, but a mobile phone has numerous useful materials. These can be reclaimed and reusable value. You can recycle mobile phones in any e-waste recycling program. Recycle Technologies Drop-off recycling facility is an excellent choice for disposing of mobile phones. We can also help you wipe data from your mobile phones before recycling them. This way we protect your personal information from falling into prying hands.

E-Waste

Ink Cartridges

More than a billion ink cartridges are in use worldwide. That is the same amount every year. Troubling is that only 30 % of them are sent for recycling. The components of these items include plastic, metal, and ink. These components take ages to decompose and pose a great risk to the environment. Please don’t send your old ink cartridges to a landfill. Find a recycler near.  Think that are benefits to you might pose a risk to others.

E-Waste

Chewing Gum

More than 100K tons of chewing guns are chewed across the world. And the main problem is that it is discarded everywhere. Under everything. It leaves behind an expensive mess and no one bothers to clean up. The good news is chewing gun is fully recyclable. It can be reused into several other products like bins, Frisbee, coffee cups, or even mobile phone covers.

E-Waste

Sneakers

A normal sneaker contains a variety of useful materials such as leather, polyester, nylon, rubber, and plastics. In time sneakers wear off unless they are Air Jordans. More than 300 million of them are tossed away every year. And yes, landfills are their resting place. We only recycle E-waste items, but you might try local recyclers if they take sneakers. Donating them to charity is a viable option.

E-Waste

Wetsuits

Wetsuits are on no one top list for recycling. They are composed of a synthetic petrochemical rubber called neoprene. When they are sent into landfill they decompose into smaller pieces and leech chemicals that are dangerous to the environment. If it is in good shape then it can be donated to charity or resold. Recycling them should be your top priority if you are tired from surfing.

E-Waste

Ski Equipment

Skiing is a great pastime.  It helps you get away from a sticky situation fast. Either it is your partner or worse a bear. They go through rough treatment. Most skills are off timber with carbon fibre or fiberglass. Sooner or later, they will require replacement. The great news is that you don’t need to send them to a landfill. You can get them fixed and sell them. Why throw something that has led to great escapades from unforeseen consequences?

E-Waste

Also Read: Manage your waste by Recycling with Recycle Technologies.

Conclusion & Final Thoughts

What is e-waste?

Spent electronics that are no longer in use are called e-waste. They are mostly found in landfills as many organizations do not recycle them. They think by throwing them in the trash they will magically be recycled. That is not the case. With recycling you can get rid of the toxic elements that will eventually plague us and the environment. Recycle Technologies is certified in e-waste recycling. Our recycling Facilities are present in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Our mail-in program is perfect for disposing of Small Batteries and Light Bulb fixtures. Whereas in our drop-off facility, you can dispose of multiple items. To view which items, we recycle at our recycling facility. Click here.

6 Recycling Myths Busted by Recycle Technologies

Things go from bad to worse in mere seconds. That has been the case for the past 20 years in the recycling industry. Many people are sceptical about whether recycling does the job or not.

They perceive that by throwing e-waste in the trash it will be recycled, but that is not the case. Most probably the e-waste will arrive in a landfill.  

We are not that lucky to avail such a privilege that someone else will do the recycling for us. If we want to make a difference, we need to do it ourselves.

Gone are the days when the value was open when it was the right thing to do. We need to take the lead, if we want to make sure our children have a future.

E-waste Recycling regulations are only present in 20 states out of 50.  

The other states don’t even have proper laws or policies. Sure, we tell the world that you are not doing your part in protecting the environment. But what about us?  The Basel Convention was signed in 1989 by the USA and implemented in 2019. It simply stipulates that waste should not be exported to underdeveloped countries.  The USA still exports waste to other poorer countries.

This article is to debunk any misconceptions you might have about recycling. These myths are problematic in our industry. It is time you find out the truth.

Recycling is a Scam

This myth undermines what consumers think and feel about recycling. Media outlets are more focused on the negatives of recycling than the positives. The role the media plays is more harmful than good. Thia industry is a 6-billion-dollar revenue stream. 

We recycle tons and tons of waste every day. That is not the case. Come out of the lies that the media spews. Recycle your waste responsibly. Choose a certified recycler to dispose of your e-waste in a way that makes you proud. Choose Recycle Technologies.

Recycling

Recycling is Complicated

The amount of information we have about recycling is astounding. You need to accept that curbside recycling only accepts common waste streams.

 Such as plastic bottles, aluminium cans, glass jars, bottles, paper, and cardboard boxes. So, throwing an illegal substance into curbside can land you in hot water.

 It is wise to check your local rules. These laws and regulations vary from place to place. So, check your local recycling regulations before throwing e-waste into the trash. It could lead to fines or jail time.

Recycling

Using Curbside Recycling Bin

The main goal behind curbside binning is that its purpose is to handle specific types of waste. Putting items that don't belong in the recycling bin will cause contamination.

 This makes it harder for recycle companies to extract recyclable material. These safety risks are haphazard and cause recycle facilities to shut down. 

The better option is to put an item by dropping it off at our facility than to contaminate your recycling bin. This isn't the only option. 

Recycle Technologies has programs such as a mail-in program that targets light bulbs and batteries. Our Drop-off facility is to dispose of e-waste. We encourage you to help us reduce the overall impact by recycling responsibly.

Recycling

The Recycling Symbol present on items means it's recyclable.

Almost everyone perceives that any item that has a recycling symbol is recyclable. Sadly, this isn't the case. 

The universal recycling symbol is quite different from the plastic symbol which has the number in the middle. Don’t be confused. That is their only way to identify which kind of plastic is present in the item.

Recycling

Materials can only be recycled once

A common misconception that everyday items can only be recycled once. But that is not the case, many materials can be recycled multiple times.

 It purely depends on the material. Metals can recycle at a faster rate and never lose their quality. Plastic on the other hand has a shorter lifespan and can be recycled around 10 times.

Recycling

It takes more energy to recycle than to make something new

Another misconception is that when you recycle it requires more energy. The truth is yes it requires energy to function whereas to build something new you need to automate the process.

Meaning a new product is not specifically for one person whereas recycling is. Reclaiming resources through recycling is a far better outcome than mining virgin resources.

Recycling

Also Read: Manage your waste by recycling with Recycle Technologies

Conclusion

These are some of the issues that I must deal with every day.  People just don’t get that it is us that need to change. We need to recycle, no one will. The government is already having policies and regulations, but it can only do what its purview respects. 

If recycling was so bad, why didn’t the government ban it? The truth is nothing is bad. Excess of everything is bad. By doing the deed regularly, we can lessen the harm we do by mining virgin resources. 

With Recycle Technologies help you can move towards a change that you can accept. We are like Tom Brady; we will never let you be done even if the odds are not in our favor.

Recycle Technologies Inc

Recycle Technologies is a certified recycler with facilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota. We are Universal Waste recyclers and e-waste disposal experts. Businesses and government agencies can rely on us to provide data destruction and ITAD services. If you have a ton of old electronics you need to get rid of them fast. Call us. We will get the job done faster.

Revitalizing the Environment: The Significance of UPS Battery Recycling

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems are essential for many organizations to keep their critical infrastructure running smoothly, even during power outages. However, these systems depend on batteries, which have a partial lifecycle. Once they complete their lifespan, they should be disposed of right, which is where UPS battery recycling comes into play.

Why recycle UPS batteries?

There are frequent reasons why UPS battery recycling is important. First and foremost, batteries contain toxic chemicals that can harm human life if not disposed of correctly. Later on, these chemicals can get into the soil and contaminate the water, posing a risk to us and wildlife. 

By recycling UPS batteries, we can ensure that these toxic chemicals are safely extracted and disposed of, preventing them from causing harm. Additionally, recycling UPS batteries helps to conserve natural resources. Batteries contain valuable materials like lead, nickel, and cadmium, which can be extracted and reused in new batteries or other products. Recycling these materials reduces the need for mining new resources, conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Another critical reason to recycle UPS batteries is to comply with environmental regulations. Many countries have strict laws governing hazardous waste disposal, including batteries.

Why is UPS Battery Recycling Important?

UPS batteries contain several hazardous chemicals and heavy metals, such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, which can severely harm the environment and human health if not properly disposed of. When UPS batteries are not recycled, they often end up in landfills where they can leach into the soil and water, contaminating these resources and posing a risk to wildlife and humans alike. In addition to the environmental impact.

UPS battery disposal can be costly for businesses and households. Disposing of batteries in landfills or incinerators can result in hefty fines and damage a company’s reputation. By adequately recycling UPS batteries, companies, and households can reduce the risk of fines and environmental damage while conserving valuable resources.

Benefits of UPS Battery Recycling:

There are various benefits, but the most obvious is the environmental benefit. By properly disposing of used batteries, we can reduce the amount of hazardous waste in landfills, reducing the risk of contamination and pollution.

In addition to the environmental benefits, UPS battery recycling has economic benefits. By recycling batteries, we can recover valuable metals and other materials, which can be reused to create new products. This reduces the need for mining and processing new materials, which can be expensive and environmentally damaging. 

Another benefit of UPS battery recycling is the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. When batteries are not recycled, they often end up in landfills or incinerators, where they can release harmful gasses into the atmosphere. Properly recycling UPS batteries can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the environment.

How to recycle UPS batteries?

The process of recycling UPS batteries is relatively straightforward. First, the batteries are collected and transported to a recycling facility. The batteries are sorted and broken down into parts at the facility. The lead and other metals are smelted down, while the plastic components are shredded and melted to create new products. The electrolyte solution is neutralized and treated to prevent environmental harm.

Choosing a reputable recycling company is critical to properly disposing of the batteries. The recycling company should have the necessary permits and certifications to handle hazardous waste and follow strict safety protocols to protect workers and the environment.

What do I do with my old UPS batteries?

With the rapid growth in technological advancements, using uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems has become increasingly important for many businesses and households. These systems are designed to provide backup power in case of a power outage, ensuring that critical operations run smoothly. However, as the demand for UPS systems increases, so does the need to address the environmental impact of UPS battery disposal. UPS batteries are made of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, which can severely risk the environment and human health if not properly recycled.

Recycle Technologies Inc. is committed to responsible battery recycling, including the recycling of UPS batteries. As the world is working on an eco-environment the best strategy to have is to recycle e-waste. By recycling UPS batteries, Recycle Technologies Inc. aims to minimize these severe outcomes to the best of our ability.

 UPS Battery Recycling

We offer several services for recycling:

At Recycle Technologies Inc., we strive to be at the forefront of battery recycling, including UPS batteries. By choosing us as your recycling partner, you can ensure that your UPS batteries and other electronic waste are managed in an environmentally responsible manner. Together, let's contribute to a sustainable future.

Conclusion:

UPS battery recycling is an essential process that helps to protect the environment, conserve natural resources, and comply with environmental regulations. Organizations can play a part in creating a more sustainable future by picking to recycle UPS batteries. So, if you have UPS batteries that have reached the end of their life, find a reputable recycling company to dispose of them properly.  As we continue to rely on technology to power our lives, we must consider the environmental impact of our actions. UPS battery recycling is a simple yet effective way to reduce our environmental impact and ensure.