Written by Tim

Edited on

4 November 2022

·

11:49

Shred paper according to the AVG/GDPR regulations

From 25 May 2018, a new law applies for dealing with personal data. This General Personal Data Regulation, also known as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), applies throughout the EU. The careful destruction of data on paper is also part of this. But what do you pay attention to and how do you best work? We'll tell you what to keep in mind in this article.

What has changed?

Data protection legislation is the same across the EU, so that citizens everywhere have the same rights. This also makes it easier for agencies to inspect companies. The same rules apply to international companies and organizations, which makes the process easier. The 3 important points of the AVG / GDPR are:

  • You must destroy all excess data.
  • The legislation applies to both digital data and data on paper.
  • Every company should appoint someone who is responsible for complying with the privacy legislation.
Paper shredders that comply with the privacy legislation

Key points

  • The General Data Protection Regulation is a new law that regulates the protection of personal data in the EU.
  • The GDPR replaces the current Data Protection Act.
  • Organizations and companies are required to destroy data when customers request them to do so, or when the storage term has expired.
  • If an organization or company doesn't comply with the law, they risk a find of up to € 20 million or 4% of their yearly revenue.

Automatic destruction

The AVG / GDPR legislation requires companies and organizations to handle digital and printed data more carefully. A paper shredder helps to destroy digital and paper data. That's because you can shred paper, and some device can also destroy credit cards, CDs, and sometimes even USB flash drives. A paper shredder that meet the AVG / GDPR requirements has a safety standard of at least DIN P-4. That means you can shred an A4 sheet into at least 421 shreds. After destroying, the data is unrecoverable.

Document shredders for large companies

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Article by Tim

Paper Shredder Expert.

Tim