Shredding your documents is a one way to protect yourself from identity theft and other forms of fraud. Shred pre-approved credit card offers, tax records, employment records, old bills, out-of-date account statements and other personal documents that include confidential information.
Several organizations regularly hold free paper shredding events in the Triangle.
We will be regularly updating this page with free paper shredding events in the Triangle. If you know of one that should be listed, please let us know at info@triangleonthecheap.com and we will add it, time permitting.
Shred events are often part of Earth Day celebrations, so be on the lookout for those!
Read on for a little bit of information about buying your own shredder, and then a list of upcoming shredding events. Or jump right to the list of free shredding events.
Buying a Shredder
Thinking of buying your own shredder? There are several kinds of paper shredders, and it’s important to know the differences between them, so that you can make the best choice for your privacy and security.
Strip-cut shredder: These cut papers into long strips. A standard size paper is typically cut into about 39 strips. They’re fine for shredding junk mail, but are not great for confidential materials, because the strips might still contain readable information. Also known as ribbon-cut, spaghetti-cut, or straight-cut shredders.
Cross-cut shredder: These cut paper diagonally from both directions. A standard size paper is typically cut into 400 pieces, offering more security than a strip-cut shredder. Cross-cut shredders are the most popular kind of shredders. Also known as a confetti-cut shredder.
Micro-cut shredder: These are the most secure, but are generally slower and more expensive than cross-cut or strip-cut shredders. They cut a standard size paper into 2,000 particles, making it impossible to read any data from the document.
Other features to consider:
- Auto-feed shredder: Load a large quantity of paper at one time, so you don’t have to feed paper one sheet at a time.
- CD shredding: Some shredders have a slot for shredding CDs, DVDs and credit cards.
- Continuous duty paper shredders: Most shredders can shred for a certain amount of time (15-30 minutes) before needing time to cool down. Make sure to check for that in the specifications. A continuous duty shredder doesn’t need a cool down break.
- Waste baskets. Most shredders come with a wastebasket. A pull-out waste basket is more convenient than the lift-off head. You can also put shredder bags inside the bin to make emptying easier.
Free paper shredding events in the Triangle
Make sure to follow the links below to get all the information about the shredding event. You’ll need to know what kind of items you can bring to be shredded, what the limits are, and if you need to be a resident of a particular town or city to participate.
Paper Shredding in Orange County
Shredding in Orange County: The Shred Center, at the administrative building at 1206 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, is available by appointment. Residents can cal 919-968-2788 or email recycling@orangecountync.gov to schedule an appointment. Shredding for residents is on Wednesdays. The Shred Center has not replaced shred-a-thons, which will still be scheduled.
Orange County Shred-a-thons:
Orange County Solid Waste Management will hold two free Shred-A-Thons in May. Bring your confidential documents for free, secure, and contact-free shredding and recycling. The event is open to residents of Orange County and Chapel Hill, local government employees, and small businesses.
There is a limit of four boxes or bags. Papers must be in clear plastic bags (up to 13 gallons) or boxes (no larger than a banker box). One trip per household or organization. No newspapers, magazines, or catalogs.
The first Shred-A-Thon will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6th, 2023, at the Eubanks Road Park & Ride Lot, 1768 Eubanks Road, in Chapel Hill.
On Saturday, May 20th, 2023, another Shred-A-Thon will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the recycling drop-off site behind Home Depot at Hampton Pointe in Hillsborough.
Paper Shredding in Wake County
Shredding in Cary: The Town of Cary has installed shredding consoles at six Town facilities, for the collection of old papers, bills, account statements and other sensitive documents. Cary residents can bring up to one banker’s box to any one of these facilities during its normal operating hours. Please don’t bring magazines, books, or electronics.
- Bond Park Community Center
- Herb Young Community Center
- Middle Creek Community Center
- The Cary Senior Center
- The Hive
- Garmon Operations Center
Earth Day Celebration at Dix Park: At the Earth Day Celebration at Dix Park on April 21, 2023, from 5 to 8 p.m., there will be an opportunity to shred your documents. The shredding will take place at the Adams Lot from 5 to 7 p.m.
Shred Day in Apex: The Town of Apex is holding a Shred Day on Saturday, May 13th, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. (or until the truck is full), at the Public Works Parking Lot, 105 Upchurch Street, Apex, NC. Check on apexnc.org for future events.
Paper shredding event in Wake Forest: The Town of Wake Forest is holding a Paper Shredding Event on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or until the two trucks are full. This event is part of Forest Fest. The event takes place in the Northern Wake Senior Center parking lot, 235 E Holding Avenue, Wake Forest. More details here.
Shred Event in Fuquay-Varina: Check back soon. Check on fuquay-varina.com.
Paper Shredding in Chatham County
Shred Events in Chatham County: Chatham County Solid Waste and Recycling holds two shredding events. They’ll take place Saturday, April 15th, and Saturday, November 18th, 2023, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Main Facility, 28 County Services Road, Pittsboro. Check on chathamcountync.gov for future events.
Paper Shredding in Durham County
Shredding in Durham: Free paper shredding will be provided at Durham’s Earth Day Festival, which takes place Sunday, April 23rd, 2023, from 12 to 5 p.m., at Durham Central Park, 501 Foster Street, Durham, NC. The shredding will be available from 12 to 3 p.m. at 412 Morris Street in a drive-through area. Learn about local businesses that provide shredding for a fee.
Paper Shredding in Johnston County
Shred event in Johnston County: Check back soon. Check on johnstonnc.com.
Paper Shredding at Office Max / Office Depot
Office Max and Office Depot are offering 5 pounds of FREE shredding through April 29, 2023. You’ll need the coupon on this page. They regularly update this page with the current coupon, so if it’s after April 29, still follow the link and see if they have a deal.
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and it's also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
