SECURE DESTRUCTION
Put simply, regarding abilities, there is absolutely no point asking a paper shredder to shed a car. He has a shredder, but it cannot shred a car. Similarly. with Secure Destruction, if a piece of kit holds data, shredding it in car shredder will not be sufficient to meet the requirement for data destruction – it will be destroyed, but crucially, not destroyed enough. The data may in fact be retrievable due to the large fragment size yielded by the car shredder. Additional issues arise due to the aspirations of a vendor. When they are asked, “Can you destroy this waste?”, they will truly state, “yes”, based on their interpretation of the word “destroy”. However, if the previous example is used, the kit may be destroyed in the car shredder leaving the data retrievable. The vendor will believe that they have destroyed the kit – but they haven’t destroyed the kit to the required standard, which they may be ignorant of, given that data-destruction is not necessarily achieved by physical destruction of the kit.
The higher the risk, the more layers of security should be wrapped around the project to manage the risk. Risks in secure destruction vary depending on the waste stream, its provenance, hazardousness, whether it contains data, whether the waste is classified or not and so on… When security considerations are added to a waste stream, the method of recycling and/or disposal may have to be altered to maintain a suitable level of risk management during processing. This can be complicated. Some of the security measures employed by RS Recycling are described below…
VENDOR SELECTION
Selecting the right combination of vendors to deliver a service that meets the security requirement and is compliant with environmental and safety legislation requires a broad knowledge of environmental, safety law and secure destruction standards, both commercial and government. This must be coupled with a deep understanding of the vendor capabilities and site/staff infrastructures.
PHYSICAL MEASURES
Different vendors will have differing levels of physical security in place, often dependant on the value of the finished outputs they generate from their processes. Whether or not a waste stream can be stored over-night or for extended periods prior to destruction will depend on the level or risk measured against the physical and staffing infrastructure measures. Measures may include, RedCare Alarm Systems - CCTV - High Security Buildings & Yards - Covert Camera Systems - Security Guarding.
SUPERVISION & WITNESSING
Dependant on the level of risk, it may be necessary to supervise all or part of a project to ensure that the specified outcome is achieved. RS Recycling provide Security Cleared (SC) escorting and witnessing services alongside other more general supervision of loading and destruction activities. Depending on the exact requirement, loading, transit and destruction can be video recorded as an option in addition to all other documentation and evidencing.
AUDITING
Auditing can include various activities designed to quantify the waste in a manner commensurate with the risk of leakage. For example, a pallet count may be sufficient to quantify a consignment of scrap vehicle parts for destruction. In contrast, a more detail item-by-item barcode asset tracking system will need to be used to quantify a consignment of data-bearing classified assets requiring high security secure destruction. All systems can be deployed by RS Recycling regardless of quantity, location or destruction methodology.
PROCESS CONTROL
Processing methods and outcomes are specified and agreed in advance during the quotation phase of a project. Process requirements are communicated officially to all vendors working on a project, with written sign offs and guarantees held on file by RS to ensure that all outcomes are achieved in line with the original specification. Certificates of Destruction are supported by process control documentation and process sign-off documents signed by the competent person in charge on site and by RS Recycling.
DESTRUCTION METHODS
Waste can be destroyed in various ways. Typically, RS Recycling will select a destruction method that allows for the processed/destroyed material to be recycled. Where this is not possible, energy from waste thermal recovery will be selected. Lastly and least desirably, incineration without thermal recovery is the final destruction mode. Where a recycling outcome can be achieved, this is often as the result of a material shredding, granulating or fragmentising process. How a waste stream is destroyed is specified in advance during the quoting phase of the project. The method is determined based on many factors including hazardousness, security classification, risk of leakage and environmental considerations circled around emissions and fire risks.
DOCUMENTATION & REPORTING
RS Recycling produces all documentation required to manage any waste project from specification through delivery to final completion and reporting. Documentation usually evidences various aspects of the project. For example, prior to start, there is a QUOTATION. Once the quote is accepted, this is followed by a BOOKING REQUEST and subsequent BOOKING CONFIRMATION once all the logistics etc are in place. When the collection is made, a WASTE TRANSFER NOTE is signed off plus a point-of-collection POC document which details the quantity and forms the collection manifest. When the waste is delivered to the destruction facility, a point-of-delivery POD form is produced that confirms the quantity received, plus the WASTE TRANSFER NOTE is signed in. All the above is supported by a WEIGH BRIDGE TICKET. Depending on the risk, various other documentation is used to control the processing and final destruction of the waste. Finally, when all the documentation has been signed off, the PROCESS SIGN OFF will be completed and the CERTIFICATE OF DESTRUCTION will be issued.
VETTING
Depending on the security classification of the waste and any resulting pre-determined risk, staff with enhanced vetting credentials will be deployed on a project. Typically, for commercial non-classified waste, BS7858:2012 vetting is sufficient. When dealing with government assets, SC or above will be specified.
After years of experience across multiple sectors, RS Recycling have developed robust processes, discipline and insightful inside knowledge that allows “Secure Destruction” to be secure and without compromise or risk. This is achieved by wrapping layers of control around the process commensurate with risk level of leakage. This can only be achieved by understanding the need of the client and importantly, the abilities and aspirations of the vendor or vendors involved in processing/destroying the waste.
The term “Secure Destruction” means different things to different people. To some suppliers, this means that the customer wants a “Certificate of Destruction”. To others, it means that the waste must not be re-used. Often, the customer thinks that by stating that they need Secure Destruction they will in some way be guaranteed that the waste is destroyed. Sadly, the reality is, that unless the process is carefully managed, there is every possibility that waste will leak, untreated, from the process, whether deliberately or by accident, rendering any documentation or statements useless.