Shred It Day April 9th
They filled up by 10am. I just went over there with my stuff and was turned away. Looks like the demand for this has increased dramatically. The DPW guy said there were 1000 cars through this morning. So ... where are the other free or low-cost/easy access places for shredding? I know about the UPS store in South Orange, but parking in SO and then schlepping boxes of papers into the store is not easy.
The system could benefit from better communication. The truck was virtually full, and there were about ten cars waiting in line, but no one was warning the drivers that their stuff couldn't be taken.
Don't bother to drive over, according to Vic D., they are all filled up. We should request these days more often.
Three a year might be more realistic, if the need is so great. Or perhaps consider limiting how much each car can drop off to give more users a chance. For myself, I'd be willing to pay $5 or $10 to use the service.
Like the previous poster, I find it difficult to park near the UPS store in SO and carry 8 or 9 Kings bags full of paper to the store to have it shredded there. The drive-up feature of Shred-It days is a big advantage.
We got there about 10:15 and it was closed for today's shredding. In previous years, this hasn't been the case.
RobinM2 said:
Don't bother to drive over, according to Vic D., they are all filled up. We should request these days more often.
Yes, and maybe they should have two trucks (or a contingency to call an additional truck.) I've been going to these shredding days almost every time for several years and usually didn't get there until closer to noon, so this time there was much more/earlier demand than usual.
sac said:
RobinM2 said:
Don't bother to drive over, according to Vic D., they are all filled up. We should request these days more often.
Yes, and maybe they should have two trucks (or a contingency to call an additional truck.) I've been going to these shredding days almost every time for several years and usually didn't get there until closer to noon, so this time there was much more/earlier demand than usual.
When I lived in Maplewood I, also, would get there between 11:30am-noon. I never had more than 2 cars in front of me and never got turned away.
Check (I think) Valley National Bank. The bank on Valley and 3rd had shredding days (for everyone, not just customers) throughout the year. Also check Essex County -- the county I live in now does the free shredding days.
I also couldn't schlep my boxes of papers to the UPS store, and then pay to have it all shredded. I know they provide a service and have every right to charge, but if there's a free option, I'll take that every time.
The next date is in Newark, June 4th. South Orange isn't until November...
https://www.valleynationalbank.com/About/Events.aspx
Vauxhall Staples has it also for a low per pound charge. I carried in about 20 pounds once in a large garbage bag. Used a cart from the parking lot to handle the bulk.
Used Shred it today I was there at 9:00 about 50 cars in line. Well organized and moving promptly. The guys operating were terrific. Were they our DPW guys?? so nice and helpful. No one that I saw had excessive amounts. Some had two or three boxes of files but still not excessive I think. I had two bags myself. The only bad actor I saw was the guy who did not want to wait on line, so he pulled over and just sort of parked to the side and walked his stuff across the yard to jump the line and avoid the wait. No one was very happy about that, especially the DPW workers directing traffic.
Do you have to identify yourself as a Maplewood resident? Seems strange there were so many people there today. Perhaps others heard about it.
In past years they would check your driver's license or some other proof of residency before you got on the line for the shredder. Were they doing that this year? When I got there they were not, but the shredder was already full so perhaps they stopped checking for that reason. Anyone who was there earlier recall?
I saw at least two cars with 4 -5 trash bags full of stuff. One put her car in park at the front of the line and slowly loaded her trash bags from a heap in their car. (Looked mostly like junk mail to me.... everything thrown in.) I drove around her, got out, dropped off my one shopping bag of stuff.
The DPW guy was as nice as could be!
mumstheword said:
The next date is in Newark, June 4th. South Orange isn't until November...
https://www.valleynationalbank.com/About/Events.aspx
Not according to the new, state of the art Village website. http://www.southorange.org/489/Recycling
2 before November; none in November.
I've sneaked in there for document shredding at least 4 times times, typically arriving mid-session. Never (NEVER) once saw another person utilizing this valuable Village service. Thank you South Orange. Outside vendor's shredder operator on duty always looking like "Maytag repairman". No one (neither vendor, nor SO DPW people) ever asked for any ID.
1000 cars is insane
West orange had one in the fall and they called for a second truck once the first was full.
dickf3 said:
mumstheword said:
The next date is in Newark, June 4th. South Orange isn't until November...
https://www.valleynationalbank.com/About/Events.aspx
Not according to the new, state of the art Village website. http://www.southorange.org/489/Recycling
2 before November; none in November.
I've sneaked in there for document shredding at least 4 times times, typically arriving mid-session. Never (NEVER) once saw another person utilizing this valuable Village service. Thank you South Orange. Outside vendor's shredder operator on duty always looking like "Maytag repairman". No one (neither vendor, nor SO DPW people) ever asked for any ID.
1000 cars is insane
@mumstheword was posting about the shredding events run by Valley National Bank, not the towns. So I think you are both right.
I have a shredder at home for the day to day stuff
After cleaning out once taxes were done, I had a garbage bag full of stuff to shred. Took it to UPS store in South Orange, couple bucks to shred - so worth it vs. storing it until one of these days! Highly recommend!
What are you Maplewood residents doing that generates so much paper in need of shredding????
Here in South Orange, I own a little shredder. I shred important records, medical information and credit card offers, and just recycle junk paper, but it rarely fill more than one small bin in a week or two, so I dump it in my recycling bin.
Maplewood DPW has a shute leading to a compactor. You can put all your papers in it. The compactor goes to the recycling site in Newark which (probably) takes the paper to the Marcal plant in Garwood... or to another paper recycling plant. If it is the Marcal plant, your paper is put into a boiling vat with solvent.
The important part of this post is that the collection site is bonded. Put your stuff into the shute and forget about it.
sac said
@mumstheword was posting about the shredding events run by Valley National Bank, not the towns. So I think you are both right.
When mumstheword's immediate prior post is considered, along with the one I questioned, I was wrong (not right).
galileo said:
Do you have to identify yourself as a Maplewood resident? Seems strange there were so many people there today. Perhaps others heard about it.
In all the years I lived in Maplewood I was never asked for ID. So I can imagine that people from other towns came and made their donations.
dickf3 said:
sac said
@mumstheword was posting about the shredding events run by Valley National Bank, not the towns. So I think you are both right.
When mumstheword's immediate prior post is considered, along with the one I questioned, I was wrong (not right).
I disagree -- we're both right! 
Between Valley National and the two towns, there are 4 days this year for SO residents, 3 more for Maplewood. Mark your calendars, folks!
mumstheword said:
galileo said:
Do you have to identify yourself as a Maplewood resident? Seems strange there were so many people there today. Perhaps others heard about it.
In all the years I lived in Maplewood I was never asked for ID. So I can imagine that people from other towns came and made their donations.
The word is is getting out and we're being flooded by shredding immigrants. Build a wall! Seriously, though, the town should consider charging those without residence ID, to support the shredder being available for longer hours.
So, were they not checking resident status at all this past Saturday? In prior years, I had to show my driver's license, but it's been at least 2 years since I needed to use the service.
Jasmo said:
mumstheword said:
galileo said:
Do you have to identify yourself as a Maplewood resident? Seems strange there were so many people there today. Perhaps others heard about it.
In all the years I lived in Maplewood I was never asked for ID. So I can imagine that people from other towns came and made their donations.
The word is is getting out and we're being flooded by shredding immigrants. Build a wall! Seriously, though, the town should consider charging those without residence ID, to support the shredder being available for longer hours.
Do the towns make any money on the shredding/recycling of that paper? If they do, I wonder if the cost of an additional shredder truck would be offset by the increased revenue they'd get from having an unrestricted access on shred-it day. Just thinking...
There's a nearby shredding opportunity this Saturday - Shred fundraiser for Senior Services at the Chatham Train Station tomorrow from 10am - 1pm. Open to all. Only 15 minutes away. Suggested donation of $5/grocery bag and $10/medium box.
This coming Saturday, April 9th. 8 am - 12 noon DPW Recycling center on Boyden.
http://www.twp.maplewood.nj.us/index.aspx?nid=599