January 06, 2026

Shredding vs. Burning Documents – What’s Safer to Destroy Information?

In today’s business environment, protecting confidential data isn’t optional—it’s a core operational responsibility. From customer records and financial files to employee information and proprietary plans, every document can be a risk if not handled properly.

Businesses are legally required to protect private information, and that duty extends to how they dispose of that information. Some privacy laws that require secure document disposal include:

• The Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA)
• The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA)
• The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Failure to comply with these privacy laws can lead to substantial fines and other penalties. In addition to these costs, if there is a data breach, the added expense can be considerable. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025, the average cost of a breach for U.S. businesses was a record $10.2 million—a 9% increase over 2023. With numbers like that, data security and proper document destruction should be a priority.

A Comparison: Shredding vs. Burning Documents

While some organizations may consider burning confidential documents as a cost-saving or easy disposal method, this approach is neither secure nor practical. In fact, it introduces security, legal, environmental, and safety risks that can be far more expensive than using a professional document destruction service. Here’s why shredding is consistently the safer and more responsible choice:

• Complete destruction: Professional document destruction services use industrial-grade cross-cut shredders that reduce documents to confetti-like pieces, making reconstruction virtually impossible. By contrast, burning is unreliable at best. Large stacks of paper limit airflow, often leaving unburned or partially burned remnants that can be gathered and exploited by bad actors. Even small fires struggle to completely incinerate multiple pages at once; several sheets stacked together can block oxygen and extinguish parts of the document before they’re destroyed. Shredding provides consistent, complete destruction without uncertainty.
• Proof of compliance with privacy laws: Businesses that burn documents may not receive a Certificate of Destruction or Proof of Service — documentation many auditors request to verify a business’ compliance with state and federal data privacy laws governing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Protected Health Information (PHI). When an auditor shows up, lacking that paper trail can create unnecessary risk and costly consequences.
• Environmental impact: Secure shredding supports sustainability objectives. Shredded paper can be baled and recycled, returning to the supply chain as new products and conserving natural resources. In 2024, Shred-it^®, a Stericycle solution, shredded and recycled 402,600 tons of paper. Many professional shredding providers not only secure your data but also advance your environmental goals through responsible recycling practices.
  Burning, on the other hand, is harmful to air quality and the environment. Paper burns at about 420°F—the point at which cellulose breaks down into gases including carbon dioxide and other hydrocarbons that produce harmful fumes. That means burning paper contributes to global warming the same way fossil fuels do. There’s also the issue of materials commonly attached to documents. Paperclips, rubber bands, staples, and other fasteners pass easily through professional shredders. Burning them introduces additional chemicals and particulates into the air—posing health risks and longer-term environmental harm
• Safety and fire hazards: Burning documents inherently involves open flames, which can introduce risk. A stray spark can ignite a larger fire, and the person feeding and tending the flames is exposed to burns, smoke inhalation, and other hazards. Professional shredding eliminates those risks. Security-trained personnel collect and shred documents either onsite or transport them in locked containers to a nearby facility on a schedule that fits your business needs.

Solution: Partner With a Professional Shredding Provider

A reputable shredding partner combines security, compliance, sustainability, and convenience. The Shred-it^® secure document destruction service offers tailored solutions to businesses of all sizes, including:

• One-time shredding: A single, secure collection for file purges or year-end cleanups.
• Regularly scheduled shredding: Lockable containers placed throughout your workplace with routine pickups, reducing day-to-day risk and supporting good information hygiene.
• Drop-off shredding*: Bring documents to a local Shred-it^® office for secure destruction on your schedule.
• Mobile shredding services: Document destruction is performed onsite.
• Specialty shredding services*: Secure destruction of non-paper items such as price books, media, medical records, exams, expired IDs, old uniforms, and more.
• Hard drive destruction: Even “deleted” data can be recovered. Specialized technology is used to permanently destroy hard drives by physically destroying the device.

Beyond service options, process matters. The Shred-it^® secure document destruction service shreds documents into confetti-like pieces, consolidates the pieces into secure bales, and sends them to a recycling facility—closing the loop by ensuring your information is destroyed and the paper is responsibly recycled. Businesses that shred also receive a Proof of Service to maintain records, supporting corporate compliance programs and providing peace of mind during audits.

The Business Case: Lower Risk, Higher Return

When considering security, legal requirements, environmental impact, and safety, professional shredding stands out. While burning documents may appear cost-free, it presents hidden risks, including:

• The potential for incomplete destruction and data exposure
• The lack of auditable proof of compliance
• The environmental and health hazards of combustion
• The safety risks to your people and property

In contrast, professional shredding reduces liability, strengthens compliance readiness, supports ESG goals through recycling, and creates operational consistency.

Learn more about the Shred-it^® secure shredding services.

^{*Contact Shred-it® for service availability.}

^{This article is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any specific facts or circumstances.}