Secure Document Destruction and Data Disposal Legal Services
In any organization, document workflow involves not only creating and storing information but also its secure destruction. Once the data lifecycle ends—when information is no longer needed for business purposes or the statutory retention period has expired—its destruction is mandatory. The Law of Georgia "On Personal Data Protection" strictly establishes the principle of "storage limitation": data must not be kept longer than necessary. Improper disposal of expired documents (e.g., throwing them in the trash without shredding) constitutes a legal violation and creates a massive risk of confidential information leakage. Document destruction services ensure that this process is conducted in compliance with international standards, environmentally safely, and, most importantly, legally correctly.
This service covers the destruction of both physical (paper) and digital media. Specialists on our platform offer:
- Preparation of Destruction Acts: Drafting legal documentation confirming that specific documents were destroyed in compliance with the law (essential during tax or other audits).
- Confidential Paper Shredding: Using industrial equipment to shred documents to a level where recovery is impossible (compliant with DIN standards).
- Digital Media Destruction (Wiping/Degaussing): Physical destruction or software wiping of hard drives, servers, and flash memory so that data recovery is impossible even with forensic methods.
- Archive Revision and Selection: Inspecting the archive fund, separating expired materials, and preparing them for disposal.
- Green Disposal: Recycling shredded paper waste, ensuring compliance with environmental standards.
In practice, companies often underestimate the risks. For example, a bank or clinic might discard old client contracts or medical records in a public dumpster. If these documents fall into third-party hands, the organization faces fines from the Personal Data Protection Service and reputational damage. Another common mistake is selling or donating computers without fully wiping the hard drive (simple formatting does not permanently erase data). Also, during a tax audit, if a company cannot produce a document, it must prove that the document was destroyed legally due to expiration, not intentionally to hide taxes. A destruction certificate is crucial for this.
The legal framework for this process is based on the Law of Georgia on Personal Data Protection, the Government Decree on "Approval of Unified Rules for Records Management," and the Law on the National Archive. Organizations must know exactly how long each document type must be kept (e.g., accounting documents for 6 years, personnel files for 75 years, etc.). Destroying documents prematurely is as much a violation as retaining expired ones.
Collaboration with a lawyer and archivist begins with an inventory. Specialists sort documents into categories. Then, an act for files to be destroyed is drawn up and signed by the director. Only after this does physical destruction take place. At the end of the process, a "Certificate of Destruction" is issued, which serves as your defense during any legal dispute.
Legal.ge gives you access to certified companies and lawyers who ensure the safe "death" of your information. Do not leave sensitive data to chance—destroy it professionally and in full compliance with the law.
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