Our secure shredding expert Dan Fairest was interviewed by MRW magazine recently, on the topic of retail recycling. Upholding the principles of the waste hierarchy is something a growing number of retailers are aspiring to. But is this putting other areas of compliance at risk, he asked. If you missed the resulting article you can read it in full here…
In the fast-paced world of retail, there have always been a number of resource considerations to make, and for various reasons.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest issues is cardboard arising from the distribution and packaging of goods. Widely acknowledged as a valuable commodity, retailers have grown to recognise the need to proficiently handle this recyclate – for storage reasons, if not for their environmental conscience. Retail space often comes at a prime rate after all.
Plastic polythene wrapping, high-tensile nylon pallet strapping and the pallets themselves, all add to the bulky and eventually superfluous nature of materials that retailers need to manage.
Being smarter
Many resource savvy retailers are taking their environmental thinking a step further, with the promotion of ‘bring back’ schemes to encourage the re-use and/or recycling of textiles, for example. Supermarkets have also ‘upped their game’ in the face of BOGOF and food waste criticism, by offering free recipes that make practical use of leftovers.
All in all, retailers are acting increasingly considerately when it comes to their resource agendas. But can an eagerness to ‘be green’ put other areas of compliance at risk?
Don’t forget data
There can be very few retail brands that are unaware of The Data Protection Act. In fact, the legal obligation to keep customers’ – and employees’ – confidential information safe, has been frequently cited in the headlines in recent years, especially in the world of e-commerce. But there is more to data protection than devising a robust cyber security strategy.
Take online fashion retail. Garments will be carefully wrapped in one, if not more, plastic bags, with the added use of cardboard for shoes or larger packages of multiple items. Promotional paper-based marketing material is also often included, and a paper delivery note will commonly be inserted to itemise the contents of the parcel, with returns information on the back.
The rise of returns
However, this presents challenges when consumers return unwanted goods. Research carried out for a Radio 4 programme in May suggested that almost two thirds of shoppers who bought women’s clothes online in the last six months sent at least one item back.
When returned, a new waste management challenge begins. The same Radio 4 study uncovered that 5% of unwanted goods are no longer fit for resale, by the time they reach the retailer. That’s challenge one. Reuse or recycling of the packaging materials is challenge two. Then there is the paper documentation to recycle too.
However, herein lays the ever-pressing requirement for all e-commerce brands, not just clothing retailers. Because the documentation contains customers’ private information, including name and address and often partial payment details, it falls under the Data Protection Act. Such documents must be comprehensively destroyed prior to their disposal, as must postage labels. Serious breaches can be penalised with fines of up to £500,000, something that 60% of respondents in a 2015 UNTHA UK poll, seemingly did not know.
Recycling vs regulation
In truth, retailers probably are clued up on the matter, but a number are living on borrowed time because they still haven’t implemented a robust confidential waste management strategy to tackle the issue. In fact, a high street brand approached us for a confidential waste shredder not too long ago, driven by the news that a competitor had been prosecuted. But waiting is risky business – the reputational damage associated with a data breach could be more costly than the fine itself. So what should retailers do?
Where possible, the confidential ‘waste’ should still be handled responsibly, with utmost respect for the waste hierarchy. Confidential paper, for example, should be processed so that the material fibre is preserved – thus protecting its recyclate quality.
The options
On-site incineration is therefore far from ideal. The services of a BSEN15713-accredited confidential waste destruction specialist thankfully provide a helpful alternative. They offer an – albeit expensive – on-site shredding service for complete peace of mind, or a more cost effective off-site destruction. Whilst the latter is more affordable it is potentially riskier. Highway accidents cannot be prevented and, if the refuse truck was involved in a collision and sensitive documents spilled onto the road, the retailer would still be liable for any consequent data breach.
Alternatively the retailer can invest in its own DIN 66399 certified shredder, for complete ownership of the data destruction process. Four shaft shredding technology is often the preferred machine-type, given the precise shred, preservation of recyclate quality, ‘mixing’ action for added security, low noise and dust levels, and easy maintenance. Once shredded, the materials can be bagged, compacted or baled for maximum recycling revenue generation.
Of course every scenario is different, but with online retail sales growing year on year, this problem is here to stay. The time to tackle it, however, is now.
