Should I Burn Paper Documents?
Should I Burn Paper Documents?
We are regularly asked about burning paper as an alternative to shredding sensitive documents. Burning garbage is common in many parts of rural Arizona and happens most commonly when a local disposal location is too far away, regular service is unavailable, or disposal services are cost prohibitive. Here we share why a decision to burn paper to destroy documents is an unsafe decision due to fire risk, security concerns, environmental impact, legality, and time inefficiency.
What’s below:
1. Safety: backyard burning increases wildfire and home fire risk 2. Security concern: paper burning does not guarantee thorough destruction 3. Environmental concern: toxic dioxins harm health, crops, and water supply 4. Legality: open burning is illegal in many locations 5. Inefficient: burning paper is tedious and time-consuming1. Safety: backyard burning increases wildfire and home fire risk
Human-caused fires often result from unsupervised campfires, discarded cigarettes, faulty equipment, and certainly backyard burn piles. Burning debris like piles of papers at home or even at a business location poses a great safety risk; in fact, it is often illegal in many locations. In 2020, over 80% of wildfires in Arizona were caused by humans, and the trend of year-round fire risk continues. Hot embers from burning paper are easily swept into the air and can travel over a mile, sparking an unintentional fire.
A person is not immune from these safety concerns by burning paper in a fireplace either. Hundreds of thousands of home fires happen every year, some starting as a chimney fire that spread to others parts of the home. Paper contains various chemicals that burn at much higher temperatures than typical firewood; most chimneys are not built for these extreme flame temperatures and can fail, leading to an unintentional house fire. Additionally, these chemicals release toxic fumes known to deteriorate health when inhaled. Save the trouble, contact a document destruction service provider to dispose of your sensitive documents responsibly.
2. Security concern: paper burning does not guarantee thorough destruction
Paper stacks are dense and only burn well if exposed to sufficient oxygen levels. This often means having to cut or tear the paper to have it burn thoroughly. The process is inconsistent, susceptible to weather changes, and may leave some of your personal information exposed. Unburned information can hide beneath ashes or can be swept away with other embers in the wind. What happens to your personal data after destruction is important for maintaining proper security. A quality paper shredding servicer will ensure consistent destruction and proper disposal.
3. Environmental concern: toxic dioxins harm health, crops, and water supply
Outdoor burning can be more harmful than most people anticipate. While large-scale landfills and trash disposal facilities may use incinerators, they have specialized equipment to control pollutants, manage oxygen levels, and ensure proper burn temperatures. Paper products can contain dyes, Chlorodibenzofurans (CDFs), Formaldehyde, adhesives, plastics, and harmful chemicals that, when burned, generate hazardous air quality pollutants such as dioxins. These air pollution toxins can negatively impact nearby agriculture, the local water supply, and negatively affect community health. Dioxins can alter immune and hormonal cell development and cause other adverse side effects in humans.
4. Legality: open burning is illegal in many locations
For five weeks in the summer of 2011, Arizona’s largest wildfire burned across 539,000 acres in the White Mountains. The fire, caused by an unattended open-air fire pit from two campers, destroyed 36 structures and left cities across the southwest under a thick blanket of smoke for weeks. More recently, the Pipeline fire burned more than 20,000 acres in Coconino County and was caused by a man lighting toilet paper which quickly spread out of control. Though unintentional, such instances often include restitution charges, arson penalties, or jail time.
In most cases, an open burn permit is required and only permits weed, brush, and yard waste abatement or preventing a more significant fire hazard. Aside from special permits for farms, ranches, and households where waste collection is unavailable, it is illegal to burn household trash like personal documents. Individuals should take proper steps to dispose of their personal data with a professional servicer securely.
5. Inefficient: burning paper is tedious and time-consuming
One of the often overlooked aspects of commercial paper shredding is time-saving. Even a small job with an in-office paper shredder can take precious time away from more pressing responsibilities. To a greater extent, burning requires constant supervision. For large jobs, burning can take hours and must be closely monitored, contained, and continuously fed. A mobile shred truck can destroy and haul away large shredding jobs in minutes.
Need to get rid of your sensitive files? Don’t burn paper documents, let Shred Co. help
If you have questions about how to destroy sensitive documents properly, or want to learn more about the benefits of mobile shredding over paper burning, give us a call! We’re happy to help ensure you, or your business is safe, secure, and compliant.
References:
1. Wildfire Causes and Evaluations
2. Backyard Burning
https://archive.epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/web/html/index-3.html
3. Why do I need an Open Burn Permit?
4. Wildfires are part of life in Arizona and here are some of the worst
https://www.azfamily.com/page/wildfires-are-part-of-life-in-arizona-and-here-are-some-of-the-worst/
5. Man charged with starting massive Arizona wildfire burned toilet paper, officials say
