Ocean County has announced the dates for its free Residential Document Shredding Program, starting on April 4 in Lakewood. This initiative will offer residents a secure way to dispose of documents containing sensitive personal information. The program will include eleven additional collection events throughout spring and fall at various locations across the county.
"This is the 15th year we have offered this free service to our residents," stated Ocean County Commissioner Frank Sadeghi, who is connected with the Ocean County Department of Solid Waste Management. "It adds another layer of protection against identity theft for our residents and it is a very popular program. We receive requests from residents all year asking for information on this program."
In 2024, approximately 4,500 households participated in the shredding program, resulting in 92 tons of shredded documents. Residents are encouraged to bring documents with sensitive information such as bank account numbers or social security numbers that should not be discarded in regular trash. There is a limit of four boxes or clear bags per vehicle, totaling no more than 100 pounds.
The program does not accept commercial documents, newspapers, magazines, books, junk mail, greeting cards, photos, x-rays, CDs or pre-shredded paper. Paper clips and staples do not need to be removed before shredding.
"There are many benefits to using this program," Sadeghi emphasized. "You can attend any date or location which makes it easily accessible and convenient for our residents."
The schedule for the spring shredding events includes: April 4 at Lakewood; April 26 at Berkeley Township; May 17 at Stafford Township; May 31 at Waretown; June 7 at Jackson Township; and June 28 at Point Pleasant.
Fall events will take place on: September 6 in Manchester Township; September 13 in Lacey Township; September 19 in Toms River; October 4 in Brick Township; October 18 in Little Egg Harbor Township; and October 25 in Beachwood. All events run from 9 a.m. until noon or until the truck reaches capacity.
"The Ocean County Board of Commissioners is pleased to provide this service to our residents," commented Director John P. Kelly of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. "While it has many environmental benefits it also provides a layer of protection against scammers for our residents. I encourage our residents to use it."
Residents do not need to register for this service but must remain inside their vehicles while dropping off materials which should be placed conveniently for staff removal.
For those who prefer home shredding options, Ocean County offers drop-off bins for shredded paper at both Northern and Southern Ocean County Recycling Centers located respectively in Lakewood and Stafford Township. These centers operate from Monday through Saturday between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., though shredded paper should not be included with curbside recyclables due to sorting issues.
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