On Friday, August 2, University Facilities and Services‘ favorite summer collection event returns. The fourteenth annual Shred Fest will take place from 6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Zone 3 South. University faculty, staff, students, and alumni can drop off up to five boxes or bags of unwanted personal documents, including bills, bank statements, tax records, and more, which will be securely shredded and recycled by Iron Mountain.
Last year, 408 cars dropped off documents at Shred Fest totaling 16,200 pounds (8.1 tons) of paper to be shredded and recycled. That is more than the previous year’s total, and is approximately equivalent to the weight of a Tyrannosaurus Rex! Since the first Shred Fest was held in 2011, 231,700 pounds (115.8 tons) of paper has been recycled!
Why should I participate?
Leaving sensitive personal documents out for curbside pick-up at home can be risky. Shred Fest allows University community members to safely dispose of your documents in an environmentally responsible way. At the event, volunteers will unload your car and place your documents into a locked container.
Once the container is full, it will be sent up a chute into an Iron Mountain truck to be securely shredded. If you wish to unload your materials personally, or witness your documents being shredded, please be sure to inform the event staff and remain in your vehicle until you receive instruction from an event staff member. All of the shredded paper will be recycled, along with any boxes or bags that hold the documents.
How should I prepare for the event?
You do not need to remove staples, paper clips, or rubber bands from your documents. However, please do not bring larger clips, 3-ring binders, metals, phone books, hardcover books, plastics, or trash. Please limit yourself to five boxes or bags of documents to keep the event running efficiently and timely for all participants.
As the event will only accept personal items, please call the Facilities Customer Service Center at (585) 273-4567 if your department needs confidential shredding services.
How do I get there?
Shred Fest is located in the parking lot Zone 3 South next to a Facilities and Services building.
If you are traveling by car from the Medical Center, follow these directions:
- Head south on Elmwood Ave. and take a right onto Wilson Blvd. to enter the River Campus
- Take your first right (before the information booth) onto Trustee Road
- Take another right onto Intercampus Drive
- Drive across the bridge over Elmwood Ave.
- Drive down towards the baseball field. Zone 3 South will be to the right. Signs will be posted to help direct you.
For questions, please contact Phil Piedmont at (585) 690-9119 or at ppiedmon@facilities.rochester.edu.
Photo by Sarah Woodams ’24(T5)
