Austin ARMA Chapter

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Shred Day

Spring 2025 Shred Day

Austin residents can prevent identity theft by properly disposing of personal records and information at Austin ARMA’s Spring Shred Day, Saturday, April 19, 2025. The event is sponsored by the Austin Chapter of ARMA (a not-for-profit professional association and the authority on governing information as a strategic asset) in partnership with Balcones Shred, a trusted document destruction company in Austin, Texas. Drop-off will be held at Balcones Shred, 9301 Johnny Morris Rd. from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Balcones Shred will accept the following paper items:

Papers with personal or confidential information
Tax returns
Bank records
Invoices
Receipts
Medical records

Residents can bring their paper records in boxes no larger than 24 inches by 24 inches by 36 inches for shredding. In order for the documents to be shredded, the items must be dry paper in a cardboard box with fitting lids. All boxes and paper will be recycled. No plastic bags, hard plastics, electronic media or three-ring binders will be accepted.

Shredded paper should not be placed in your blue recycling cart at home because it is difficult to capture these very small particles during the recycling processing. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of the Shred Day opportunities so that the shredded documents can be recycled.

Monetary donations will be accepted at the event. We are only able to accept cash or checks for this event. Half of all donations will go to the Austin ARMA Chapter and the other half of donations will go to the Central Texas Food Bank.

For additional specifications regarding how all shredded material should be prepared, please visit https://www.austinarma.com/shred-day. Email us at austinarmachapter@gmail.com

Next Event

When: April 19, 2025

8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Where: Balcones Shred, 9301 Johnny Morris Rd.

Stay tuned here on our website or any of our social media platforms for announcements and weather advisories leading up to the event.

What is Shred Day?

Shred Day is an event sponsored by our chapter and business partners semi-annually to provide a free service to our community and neighbors. Destruction of confidential personal records can be troublesome, especially if you are using a small dysfunctional home shredder, or if you don't have access to a shredder at all. We've got you!

Get Ready to Shred:

Sort through personal records to identify documents that are no longer valuable or serve no further purpose. Feel free to use a records retention guide.
Before placing records in a box, please make sure to remove any hard/metal materials such as rings, staples, paperclips, or binder clips, which will damage the shredding machines.
On the day of the event, simply drive through and chapter volunteers will assist unloading boxes.

Past Shred Days

Frequently Asked Questions:

How often is Shred Day and when is the next one?

Austin ARMA aims to have two shred days each year - one in the Spring and one in the Fall. Please always check here and social media for dates of current and upcoming shred days.

Where are Shred Days normally held?

The location of the Shred Day does move around the city. Please check here for confirmation of where the current and next Shred Day will be.

Who are the volunteers?

The volunteers are members of the Austin ARMA chapter and members from the sponsoring local vendors that are donating their day to this free community service event to help you securely shred your confidential information. Please be aware of them and keep their safety in mind while driving your vehicle.

What is ARMA?

ARMA International is a not-for-profit international professional association that specializes in managing and governing information as a strategic asset. The local Austin ARMA chapter is the group that organizes the free shred event.

Can I bring my business records to be shredded?

No. This event is for private households to securely destroy their confidential information.

How long should I maintain my personal records?

Feel free to use a records retention schedule to determine if your records can or should be destroyed.

Is there a box limit that I can bring to Shred Day?

No more than 10 boxes per vehicle will be accepted.

What are the event hours?

The Shred Day begins at 8:00 a.m. and will end promptly at 1:30 p.m. on the date scheduled.

Will the event occur even if there's inclement weather?

No. It is up to the discretion of Austin ARMA depending on the severity of the weather and the safety conditions for the volunteers and attendees.

How can I check if weather has cancelled the event?

You can check our website event page, or email us at austinarmachapter@gmail.com, also you can call [512] 937-3347 to leave a message (if you leave a message make sure you tell us why you are calling, give us your name and a call back number).

Will I have to unload my car?

No, Shred Day volunteers will gladly unload your car; however, if you bring a pet along with you, the volunteers will NOT be able to reach into the vehicle.

Am I guaranteed to have my confidential records shred as long as I arrive by 1:00 pm?

We make every attempt to ensure anyone who arrives before 1:30 pm can drop off their records, but the event may close earlier than that time if all trucks become full before 1:30 pm. Absolutely no arrivals after 1:00 pm will be accepted. We appreciate your attention to this.

Preparing Records for Shredding

How should the paper be prepared?

Paper should be in cardboard boxes that do not exceed 24" x 24" x 36" and should be able to be easily lifted. The boxes should have fitting lids or securely closed box flaps. This prevents the paper from accidentally being blown out and exposing your personal information to identity theft.

Do I need to remove staples from my documents?

Large amounts of industrial staples, or any paper clips and binder clips should be removed.

Do I need to remove my mail from their envelopes?

No, you can drop your mail into the box as is. No need to remove. It will all be shred and recycled.

Is the paper and cardboard taken recycled?
Yes. All paper and cardboard is recycled.

Can I use any box?
You can use any cardboard box with a fitting lid that is not larger than 24” x 24” x 36”. We have to ensure the volunteers are able to pick the boxes up. We also cannot accept flimsy boxes that may fall apart if picked up.
Can I keep my boxes?

Yes, just inform the volunteers that you wish to keep your boxes and they will be returned to you after they are emptied.

What types of items are accepted at Shred Day?

Dry paper of any color is the only accepted material. All paper should be in cardboard boxes with lids or flaps that close. This will ensure no documents will get dropped or carried off by the wind, keeping your information protected. DO NOT TAPE THE BOX CLOSED. We cannot accept paper in plastic bags or leaf bags.

What types of items are NOT accepted at Shred Day?

Batteries, plastics, wet paper, clothes, electronics, metal, three ring binders, wood, binder clips, rubber bands or anything else that is not dry paper.

What if I want my information to be shred in my presence?

You have the option. You will be asked to pull off to the side and park. There you can wait until the bin is completely full and will be able to watch your items (along with other attendees items) be shred via a monitor on the outside of the truck.

Contact Us:

austinarmachapter@gmail.com

P.O. Box 27435, Austin, TX 78731-3064

(512) 937-3347 (leave a message for a return call)