Shred your documents for free

Paul Gauron owns a document shredding business, United Data Security, out of Spokane.

His firm will be set up Saturday, April 28, at Strate Funeral Home, from 9-1 p.m., to shred your documents, courtesy of the Grand Coulee Dam Rotary Club and as part of Electric City’s Earth Day celebration.

Gauron, a former mortgage banker, will have two large shredder trucks here to shred business and private-party documents and papers, free of charge.

The firm was here last year, and Gauron told chamber of commerce members last Thursday that he would be here next year also.

With ever the eye for business, Gauron said he also is in the recycling business and will pay cash for aluminum cans and other recyclable materials. Besides the two shredding trucks, UDS will bring a semi-trailer for taking back other recyclables, plus any material brought in for shredding that can’t be fit into the two trucks. Last year, the single truck UDS brought to town filled up within a couple hours, and people had to be turned away.

If you are worried about confidentiality, Gauron and his employee Wes Siegel will be on hand to answer any questions you have.

After your material has been shredded, even the FBI couldn’t put it back together, Gauron says.

Shredded materials are baled and taken to an Oregon paper mill for re-processing.

Each truck has a 22,000-pound capacity.

If you want, you can watch your material being shredded on a flat-screen TV.

Gauron’s firm also works with nonprofits in gathering clothes, shoes and purses that are processed and sent to foreign countries to be resold. Shoes and purses are boxed and clothes are baled for transit.

What can you get for aluminum cans? Gauron says they will pay 55 cents a pound. They will also buy brass and copper, car and truck batteries for the lead, and cardboard.

Gauron provides the free service because he has an eye out for shredding customers, and places that he can pick up recyclable materials. He views such shred-day events as good marketing to grow his business and said he would be pleased if he makes enough to pay for his fuel to service the area Saturday.

Bring your documents and papers to the Strate Funeral Home this Saturday, from 9-1 p.m. for shredding.