Are your worried about disposing of your personal documents, or about someone gaining access to your personal information?
Then fear not – Letterkenny Rotary Club in conjunction with United Shredding Ltd have come up with a way to safely dispose of your personal documents in a totally confidential and waste efficient manner, while helping the Donegal Down Syndrome Association at the same time.
Brian McCracken of Letterkenny Shopping Centre on hearing of this project was very keen to facilitate the Shredding activity, as this also endorses corporate social responsibilities for the Shopping Centre, while accomplishing some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and helping a worthy charity too.
Stephen Caldwell of United Shredding (USL) and Brian McCracken both have a close affinity with the Donegal Down Syndrome association, so they were the obvious beneficiary.
Funds raised for the Association provide speech and language therapy, physiotherapy, and swimming lessons for the members, to name a few.
The Rotary ethos for 2021/22 encourages us to ‘spur innovation in an effort to address the causes and reduce the effects of climate change and environmental degradation’ and this joint project could certainly help achieve that, as all shredded materials are taken back to USL’s purpose built premises, baled and sent to a recycling facility where it will be recycled again into reusable paper consumables.
Over the past few years, we have all been encouraged to go online and download everything we need via the internet, but undoubtedly, there are occasions when we all need a paper copy.
Also, during lockdown many of us also decided to clear out the hordes of papers we have accumulated over the years, and then how to dispose of them properly always poses a problem, as backyard burning is not an alternative, being totally illegal while leasing harmful pollutants into the air!
Perhaps as a student, now that the Examination results are you, you have school projects and study papers to dispose of? Identity theft is another serious issue to consider and safely destroying of your personal information helps protect against identity theft as well as complying with GDPR and having the peace of mind knowing that your personal data is securely disposed of.
This unique initiative new to County Donegal is very simple and confidentially is guaranteed.
Suzanne Bogan, Donegal County Council Waste Awareness officer in supporting this venture adds ‘any initiative that promotes and encourages recycling is a positive one and this is a great opportunity to manage paper waste in a safe and secure manner’.
She also reminded ‘residents that it is illegal to dump any waste material and that the burning of any waste is also illegal, both causing environmental pollution.’
Just drop into the Letterkenny Shopping Centre Car park on the last Friday of each month, commencing Friday 24th September between 10.30am and 12 noon and bring your documents with you.
In return for a contribution to the Donegal Down Syndrome Association, United Shredding will shred your papers there right in front of your eyes, so you can have no worries about any future disclosures or anyone else having access to your personal matters.
United Shredding are based in Redcastle and they are a fully licensed operator by Donegal County Council and hold a National Waste Collection Permit as well as a permit under the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
Rotary Club members will be on standby to assist with social distancing and accessibility to the purpose built shredding vehicle on the day, and hopefully, if successful, then this facility can become a regular activity available at the Letterkenny Shopping Centre Car Park on the last Friday of each month going forward.
The new initiative starts this Friday 24th September from 10.30am until 12.30pm. NOw let’s get shredding!
