4 Effective Techniques to Destroy Magnetic Tapes Correctly
Effective ways to destroy magnetic tapes properly include demagnetizing, burning up, shredding, and employing professional disposal providers.
Recordable magnetic tapes that are no longer required but have sensitive and personal information should not be thrown or left just about anywhere. It is because identity thieves may utilize the details your magnetic tapes contain to steal from you; thus, you must dispose your old magnetic tapes properly. Check out this article to find out how.
Demagnetizing
One way to destroy your magnetic tapes is to demagnetize them, or simply removing completely all the data in them. This method is also referred to as degaussing, and this process rearranges the surface of the magnetic tapes and erases all the data that are previously kept in them. Every tape contains a magnetic field. To demagnetize a tape properly, you need to expose it to another magnet, that features a magnetic field which is 2 to 3 times more powerful compared to the tape, for a lengthy period. When demagnetizing a tape, no physical damage will happen. And since most tapes can undergo multiple recordings, you can save both your money and the environment.
Burning up
Another way you can completely destroy the data stored in a magnetic tape is to burn it. Most tapes are made of polymer strips which have undergone treatment with magnetic material. These strips will form a surface in which recordings can be created. Similar to most polymers, these types of magnetic tapes can ignite fairly easily, with some even considered as highly flammable. Unfortunately, when you burn a tape, this will discharge harmful toxins into the air. Therefore, there are some places which do not permit the burning of magnetic tapes. If you're planning to burn some magnetic tapes, be sure to check beforehand from the local fire department or environmental business office if this is permitted. Due to the magnetic tape's high flammability, burning a big volume will naturally increase the danger. Thus, proper fire safety measures must be applied.
Shredding
Whether you employ shredding services or do it on your own, shredding magnetic tapes into pieces will greatly reduce the chances of recovering any information from the shredded tapes. The time consuming period of time which is involved in trying to put destroyed tapes together is a strong deterrent for anyone to get data from the tape. Tapes will be cut in two different directions and into tiny pieces, that make it highly impossible for their reconstruction. Although this way is cost-effective, it isn't great for the environment since the shredded tapes will remain in trash dumps for a long time.
Employing professional disposal providers
Owners of magnetic tapes may also utilize professional disposal services to ruin their magnetic tapes completely and securely. This is excellent to those individuals who have large amounts of magnetic tapes to destroy. Tapes can be destroyed by burning, demagnetizing or shredding, based on the preferences of the owner. These professionals not just accept and ruin big amounts of documents, but they also work in a highly-secured manner. A client may even stay to see the destruction of his files or tapes personally, that is if he wants to ensure the protection and reliability of the destruction or disposal process. However, before you hire the services of a specific company, it's highly advisable that you check the background of the business and look for reviews from previous customers.
You should destroy your magnetic tapes properly, particularly if there are highly sensitive data in them.
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