Statement of Confidentiality

Recycling is an important activity, but we understand that confidentiality is a paramount issue. As a result, Earthworm goes to great lengths to ensure that any information we collect, in either paper or digital format, is carefully shepherded throughout the recycling process. Earthworm has been collecting scrap materials from offices since the 70’s without a single breach of customer confidentiality.

OFFICE DOCUMENTS/PAPER

All of the paper that Earthworm collects is ultimately destroyed. The following describes our collection procedure as well as the path your paper will take.

Your paper is loaded by our staff into wheeled hampers. These hampers are then loaded onto our enclosed box truck. Often the paper from several companies is mixed together in these hampers. At the end of the day, our trucks unload at a secured and enclosed local recycling facility. Each of the hampers is weighed prior to having its contents dumped onto a conveyor belt along with literally tons of other waste paper. The paper is conveyed past a sorting line of 6 to 10 workers who search for contaminants and then it is fed into a hopper that chops the paper into pieces. This chopping process will render an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper into about 4 or 5 pieces. The chopped paper is then baled into 2000 lb. cubes (like hay bales) for efficient shipment to paper mills. Baled waste paper is often stacked and then stored before being shipped. This period of storage may be as little as one day, or as much as two weeks. Bales are shipped via tractor trailer, rail and shipping containers to mills as near as Quebec or as far as Mexico and China. Upon arrival at the mills, the baled paper is dumped into a hydro-pulper (like a giant blender) and mixed with water and de-inking agents. With the ink removed, the paper is churned into an “oatmeal like” slurry before being made into new paper products. It is at this point that any paper we collected is destroyed.

The likelihood of anyone gaining access to printed information at any point in the collection/sorting/baling/shipping/re-pulping process is not impossible, but it would be extremely difficult and therefore extremely unlikely. For this reason we are confident that our recycling process is vastly more secure than the typical trash disposal process and it is destructive enough to meet most sensitive document handling needs.

DIGITAL INFORMATION

Earthworm routinely collects and recycles all manner of electronic office equipment, including computers. As an advocate for the wise use of natural resources, we value re-use above recycling. It is therefore possible that any electronic waste we collect may eventually be re-used. With regard to information bearing equipment such as hard drives: although we carefully select our end-use vendors, we strongly encourage clients to wipe or remove any information prior to our arrival. We will, upon request, remove and shred hard drives. Please click here for more details on this certified shredding service.

DISCLAIMER

Earthworm takes considerable care in its handling of paper and computer scrap. However, we cannot absolutely guarantee that client information could not be reconstituted downstream from our custody and control. Earthworm disclaims responsibility for, and the client hereby waives and releases Earthworm and its agents and representatives from liability for any loss, claim or damage whatsoever arising out of or relating to information that is reconstituted downstream. Under no circumstances will Earthworm have any obligation or liability for any direct, incidental or consequential damages, regardless of how such damages arise and of whether or not a party was advised such damages might arise.