Shredding the Act: Brexit’s Direct Impact on Document Disposal

Brexit and document shredding cannot be any farther in the public mind. The former is a political and social event that is bound to forever change life in Britain, while the latter is a way to destroy documents to protect certain information. Where these two have parallels is in the business world.

Above all else, however, Brexit may change how data protection in Britain works.

What issues will new legislation bring to the UK? How will non-compliance impact businesses? What requirements will paper shredding companies have to follow? From data transfer to data disposal, certain aspects of data protection are likely to change. But the UK is taking steps to prepare its citizens and commerce.

Control Over Data

The British government is proposing new measures under the UK Data Protection. With the country’s exit from the EU happening in two years, it appears the country will have a framework for controlling data. The bill intends to protect consumers in terms of consent for the use of their personal information.

Early reports indicate that businesses and organisations need to get explicit consent prior to processing any data. ‘Personal data’ will now also include IP address, Internet cookies and DNA.

Two Laws

The UK may be leaving EU, but it still has to follow the latter’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The new law, which took effect in May 2018, has a larger scope and tougher punishment. It obliges any organisation handling any European’s data, from any part of the world, to follow its regulations. British businesses then can safely exchange and manage data with EU partners.

As a paper shredding company, we encourage to err on the side of caution.

You should always have a framework of data security, digital and physical, to protect your customers and to comply with new legislation, whether that involves the EU’s GDPR.

Let LKM Recycling help you take the necessary precautions to maintain integrity when disposing of data. Our work is simple and efficient, and it makes us capable of undertaking large document shredding tasks. Whether it is for waste management or for pursuing a higher environmental standard, you can count on us.

Call us today!