Records Management Service: confidential paper waste

General

Records retention schedule

Related information

Confidential waste paper disposal
Data protection
Freedom of Information

The confidential destruction of records is a crucial element of good records management practice. It is a requirement of the Data Protection Act 1998 that all information relating to identifiable, living individuals is disposed of in an appropriately secure manner.

The University has an agreement with Shred-it covering the destruction of confidential waste paper. If you wish to destroy personal or sensitive paper material follow Steps 1 to 4 below.

For further advice, or if you have CDs, DVDs or other digital media you wish to dispose of confidentially, please contact the University Records Manager.

Step 1: Is your paper waste confidential?

Material which belongs to any of the following categories must be treated as confidential:

Records containing personal information (e.g. UCAS forms, pay roll and pensions records, completed questionnaires, staff files, research grant applications). Note: Examination scripts and student coursework, assignments and projects should also be treated as confidential waste.
Records of a commercially sensitive nature (e.g. contracts, tenders, purchasing and maintenance records, legal documents).
Records concerning intellectual property rights (e.g. unpublished research data, draft papers and manuscripts).

Material not classified as confidential may be disposed of in whichever way is most convenient. Contact the Facilties Contracts Manager (Estates) for details of paper recycling facilities.

Step 2: Order confidential waste sacks

All paper waste for confidential disposal must be packed into white sacks provided by Shred-it. A supply of these sacks is held centrally within the University. The required number of sacks may be ordered from Central Stores (extn. 6652). The sacks are held against commodity number 3051050 and can be ordered using an Agresso internal order on Central Stores. They will then be delivered to you. The cost per sack is approximately £2.60.

Step 3: Fill sacks

Fill the sacks with confidential paper waste and seal them securely. Sacks must not be overfilled (maximum weight 16 kilos). All plastic file covers, end boards, ring-binders and metal fittings must be removed. (There is no need to extract staples.) Overfull or incorrectly packed sacks will not be accepted.

Please note that white sacks containing confidential paper waste must not, at any time, be left unattended in corridors or other areas where access is unrestricted.

Step 4: Arrange for collection

Once the sacks are filled, contact your Chargehand Porter or Lizzie Richmond (extn. 3464) who will arrange for their removal to the University's secure confidential paper waste store to await final disposal. Please note that weekly transfers of white sacks from offices and stores around the campus usually take place on Wednesday mornings.

University | Records Management Service