Cochise County residents can do their part to reduce the millions of tons of electronic waste that ends up in landfills, protect against identity theft and support local non-profits at an event scheduled Saturday, Feb. 19 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Ace Hardware, 3756 E. Fry Blvd in Sierra Vista.

Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona has partnered with the Sierra Vista Police Department, Ace Hardware, World Care, Westech Recyclers, Inc., and Shred-it for ShredFest 2011. Organizers are offering electronics and cell phone e-cycling in addition to secure, on-site shredding. Donations for on-site shredding are appreciated.

What to Bring
Electronic equipment such as: PC systems, CPUs, monitors, mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, laptops, modems, hard drives, speakers, power cords, cables, phones, powers strips, desktop copiers, fax machines, cell phones with batteries and small TVs (32″ or smaller, no consoles). Television donations will require a $10 recycling fee.
Paperwork such as: old tax returns, bank statements, check book registers, credit card statements, medical records, NO PLASTIC PLEASE. That means no three ring binders, presentation folders or garbage bags. Data CD’s will be accepted if they are separated from paperwork. There is a five-box shred limit due to time constraints.
Donations
Donations for shredding are appreciated. Your donations will support BBB’s community and military outreach programs in Cochise County.  Electronics and cell phone donations are free with the exception of televisions, which incur a charge of $10. All phone and electronic donations are tax deductible.

Where’s my stuff going?
Electronics: All electronic items will be collected by World Care of Tucson. These items are used in schools, clinics and other institutions nationally and internationally. Those computers not used in humanitarian efforts are also sold to the public at World Care’s book and thrift store. Items deemed unusable are recycled for their plastics, metals, glass, and other parts. This last process is especially important as computers produce harmful and toxic waste.

Paperwork: All paperwork will be securely shredded by Shred-it of Tucson. All shredded material is recycled. As an affordable risk management tool, outsourcing to a reputable “On-Site” shredding company like Shred-it of Tucson has become a normal, economical and accepted part of doing business today. Shred-it of Tucson, a BBB Accredited Business’ offers an array of convenient services to businesses and consumers in southern Arizona. For more information about Shred-it of Tucson visit www.shredit.com, or call 1-800-697-4733.  Did you know? Arizona is the identity theft capital of the U.S.

For more information please contact BBB at 520-732-9823 or email info@tucson.bbb.org.

If your business is drowning in paper, Better Business Bureau of Southern Arizona has some guidelines for what you should keep and how long to keep it. To protect your own and your customers’ identities, shred anything with private or financial information before you discard it.

“Companies need to keep good records to stay on top of their business and, in some cases, to protect themselves from litigation,” said Kim States, BBB President. “A retention program that regularly reviews and destroys unneeded documents can reduce clutter and make it easier to manage day-to-day.”

BBB Tips for Record Retention Guidelines for Businesses:
Permanent Records

Accountants’ audit reports
Annual Financial Statements
Bills of sale for important purchases
Canceled checks (for important purchases)
Capital stock and bond records, other records dealing with the firm’s capital structure
Cash books
Charts of accounts
Contracts and leases (major and/or current)
Correspondence (legal and important matters)
Credit history
Deeds and mortgages
Depreciation schedules
Employee personnel records (after termination)
Financial statements (year-end) (more…)