After the tremendous success of previous years’ consumer “shred-a-thons” throughout Rhode Island, Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin is announcing an expanded schedule of shred-a-thons for this year’s National Consumer Protection Week.

Follow Attorney General Kilmartin on Twitter @AGKilmartin for locations and reminders of the shred-a-thon events

The shred-a-thons are free and open to the public. All consumers are invited to drop off up to two “banker boxes” of confidential documents for shredding.

National Consumer Protection Week, March 4-9, 2013, is a coordinated campaign to encourage consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and to make better-informed decisions. This year, the Attorney General is again partnering with Doc Shredding Corp and asks the public to bring a non-perishable food item when they drop off their documents to support the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

“This is our third year of partnering with Doc Shredding Corp. to offer free shred-a-thons for the public,” said Attorney General Kilmartin. “Each year has been more successful than the last, which shows that Rhode Islanders are really getting the message: one of the best ways to safeguard personal information is by shredding documents that contain sensitive information. Last year, we added a charitable component to the shred-a-thons by asking consumers to donate non-perishable food items for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. The response was incredible – in addition to shredding nearly nine tons of materials, which was then recycled and kept out of Rhode Island’s landfills, we also collected over 600 pounds of food for the Food Bank. These events truly are a win-win: Rhode Islanders can prevent identity theft while helping their neighbors in need.”

Why Should You Shred?

Shred-a-thons are "green."

Shredding personal documents doesn't just safeguard your sensitive information - it's also environmentally friendly! Materials are shredded to a fine confetti on a large plant-based shredder, then baled. 100% of materials collected are recycled to reduce landfill volume - our shred-a-thons last year helped to keep almost nine tons of material out of RI landfills!

Shredding is safe.

Doc Shredding Corp ., a National Association for Information Destruction ( NAID ) certified company, is providing all shredding services. Consumers can obtain a "certificate of destruction" from Doc Shredding Corp., which certifies that all materials collected will be handled with the highest degree of security.

What should I shred?

Any document containing information that: is confidential (designs, proposals, plans); could be used for the purpose of identity theft (social security numbers, customer lists, credit applications, pay stubs, tax returns); could cause harm in the hands of criminals or competitors (canceled checks, business plans, credit card numbers).

What can and cannot be shredded?

You don't need to remove staples, small to medium binder clips, tape or rubber bands. However, the following items cannot be shredded: large binder clips, 3-ring binders, plastic, carbon paper, cardboard and metal.

For more information on why and what you should shred, click here .

The secure shredding service is provided by Doc Shredding Corp. Their securely locked trucks will be at the shred-a-thon events. Consumers can load their documents on the truck and will receive a “certificate of destruction” from Doc Shredding, which certifies that all confidential materials collected will be handled and destroyed with the highest degree of security. Materials will be transported back to Doc Shredding Corp.’s secure facility to be shredded to a fine confetti and baled on a large plant-based shredder. This offers the same level of security and confidentiality as mobile shredding, but is a “greener” option than having a diesel truck running continuously.

“We are very excited to once again work with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office in helping Rhode Islanders safely dispose of confidential documents,” said Brian Johnson, President of Doc Shredding Corp. “Too often, people throw away documents that contain sensitive information, like bills and receipts. Shredding these documents is a very simple step consumers can take to protect their identity and personal information, and we are proud to participate in this important initiative. I was very pleased with the turnout last year, and that we were able to collect items for the Food Bank. This year, we are hoping to top last year’s total of 600 pounds of food collected.”

Recognizing the increased demand on food banks across the state, the Attorney General is asking participants to once again consider bringing a non-perishable food item for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Representatives from the Food Bank will be on-site to collect food items; most-needed food items include peanut butter, canned soups, stews and vegetables, dried or canned beans, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, tuna fish and nutritious cereal. More than 60,000 people now rely on the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s statewide network of 163 emergency food pantries to help meet their basic food needs. Nearly one out of three persons served by the Food Bank is a child under the age of 18.

“Food banks in Rhode Island and throughout the country have seen a huge surge in demand with the difficult economy,” said Andrew Schiff, Rhode Island Community Food Bank CEO. “We greatly appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to raise awareness, as well as much-needed food items, for the Food Bank in conjunction with this beneficial event for consumers.”

Click here to find a Shred-A-Thon location nearest to you!