On Friday, July 23, University Facilities and Services will hold the eleventh annual Shred Fest, from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Zone 3 South. University faculty, staff, students, and alumni can drop off up to five boxes or bags of unwanted personal documents, including bills, bank statements, tax records, and more, which will be securely shredded and recycled by Iron Mountain.
Shred Fest offers a solution to the fear of placing personal documents out for curbside pick-up at home, which could put personal information at risk. At the event, documents are handled and disposed of in a safe, secure, and efficient manner. Volunteers will unload your car and place your documents into a locked container. Once the container is filled, it will be sent up a chute into an Iron Mountain truck to be securely shredded. If you wish to unload your materials personally, or witness your documents being shredded, please be sure to inform the event staff and remain in your vehicle until you receive instruction from event staff. Please allow extra time for these accommodations. In order to provide the most efficient and timely service possible, there is a limit of five boxes or bags per person. Additional health and safety measures will be established as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with University requirements.
The event is environmentally responsible, as all shredded paper collected is recycled. About 64.7 percent of paper actually gets recycled in the U.S., but events like the Shred Fest can help increase this number and reduce paper waste in landfills. Boxes and plastic bags that carry documents are also collected and recycled. There is no need to remove staples, paper clips, or rubber bands from the documents. However larger clips, metals, phone books, hardcover books, plastics, trash, or departmental items are not allowed.
To get to Zone 3 South by car from the Medical Center:
- Head south on Elmwood Ave. and take a right onto Wilson Blvd. to enter the River Campus
- Take your first right (before the information booth) onto Trustee Road
- Take another right onto Intercampus Drive
- Drive across the bridge over Elmwood Ave.
- Zone 3 South will be to the right. Signs will be posted to help direct you.
Visit the sustainability webpage to download and print our event flyer and see the directive location map.
As the event will only accept personal items, please call the Facilities Customer Service Center at 585-273-4567 if your department needs confidential shredding services.
Shred Fest is one of two collection events scheduled annually by University Facilities and Services. Watch the video below to learn more about our summer event, Shred Fest and our fall event, E-Cycle Day.
For questions, please contact Amy Kadrie at 362-5739 or amy.kadrie@rochester.edu.
Written by Emily Su, Class of 2022