Root Communication Limited
Providing nationwide collection and recycling service for redundant Electronic equipments.
info@rootcommunication.co.uk
+44 (0) 800 756 6660
+44 (0) 800 756 6660
When a hard drive leaves your office, the data on it is still your responsibility. A factory reset will not remove it. A delete key will not remove it. Even formatting and reinstalling Windows will leave the underlying data fully recoverable with software that costs less than lunch.
Physical data shredding is the only method recognised by UK regulators, the NCSC and the ICO as a permanent, verifiable way to destroy data on end-of-life media. Root Communication Limited is a UK-based provider of certified hard drive shredding, SSD shredding and bulk media destruction — at our secure Manchester facility or on-site at yours. Every shred is logged by serial number and backed by a tamper-proof Certificate of Destruction.
Data shredding is the physical destruction of a storage device so that the information stored on it cannot be reconstructed by any commercially available means. The drive is fed through an industrial shredder fitted with cutting shafts that reduce it to particles small enough to make data recovery impossible.
Two short technical points are worth understanding before you commission a service, because they explain why “we’ll just wipe it” is not always a safe answer:
In practice, most UK organisations now run a hybrid programme: software erasure where the device has resale value and the data classification allows it, and certified shredding for anything sensitive, faulty, or end-of-life. We offer both — see our Secure Data Destruction page for the software erasure pathway.
If it stores data, we destroy it. Common media types we handle every day include:
If you have something unusual — proprietary storage from medical or industrial equipment, legacy mainframe media, RAID arrays — call us before booking and we will confirm the shred protocol. For wider equipment categories see our Items We Collect page.
The most important question to ask any data shredding provider is: how small are the particles when you’re finished? That single answer determines whether the destruction is GDPR-defensible or not.
We shred to the internationally recognised DIN 66399 standard, which classifies hard-drive destruction on a scale from H-1 (basic) to H-7 (top secret). The right level depends on the sensitivity of the data on the device:
| Level | Max particle size | Typical use case |
|---|---|---|
| H-3 | ≤ 320 mm² | General business data — meets standard GDPR requirements |
| H-4 | ≤ 30 mm² | Personal, financial or client data — recommended for most regulated UK businesses |
| H-5 | ≤ 10 mm² | Highly confidential records, healthcare, legal, government-adjacent |
| H-6 / H-7 | ≤ 5 mm² | Classified, defence-related and top-secret material |
For SSDs and other electronic media (DIN 66399 “E” category), particle sizes are even smaller — typically E-4 or higher — because individual NAND chips can hold recoverable data until physically broken down.
Our operational processes are also aligned with BS EN 15713 — the British Standard covering the secure destruction of confidential material from collection through to recycling — and our data destruction methodologies follow NIST SP 800-88 Rev. 1 and HMG Infosec Standard 5 where required.
Translation: when your auditor, your DPO or the ICO asks how the destruction was carried out, you have a defensible technical answer, not a vague reassurance.
Both methods are fully GDPR-compliant. The choice comes down to your security policy, the volume of media and your budget.
On-Site (Mobile) Shredding
A purpose-equipped vehicle is brought to your premises. Your team can watch the drives being shredded through a viewing window, and the destruction is documented and witnessed before any material leaves the building.
Sectors that typically choose on-site: government, defence, financial services, healthcare, legal, and any organisation under active regulatory scrutiny.
Drives are collected under sealed, GPS-tracked chain-of-custody and shredded at our secure Manchester facility. Every drive is scanned at pickup and again before destruction, so the audit chain is intact end-to-end.
Off-site is generally the more economical option for larger projects without compromising on compliance, because facility shredders run at higher throughput and we can issue serial-level certificates either way.
Not sure which fits your job? Call us with a rough device count and we will recommend the right route.
We have kept the process tight and verifiable from end to end.
1. Booking and inventory.
Submit your device list — drive types, approximate count, location and any special access requirements. We confirm the right shredding level (H-3, H-4, H-5) for your data classification.
2. Sealed collection.
Our vetted, uniformed drivers arrive in a GPS-tracked vehicle. Every drive is scanned, logged and placed into a tamper-evident container or lockable cage. The chain of custody starts the moment we sign for the load.
3. Secure transport.
Media moves under continuous GPS tracking to either your nominated on-site shredding location or our Manchester facility. Vehicles do not stop, deviate or co-mingle loads.
4. Industrial shredding.
Drives are fed into the shredder and reduced to the agreed DIN 66399 particle size. The process is recorded, and for on-site jobs your team can witness it directly.
5. Reporting and certificates.
Within five working days we issue a full asset report with serial numbers, destruction method and DIN level, plus a Certificate of Destruction that names the data carrier, date, method and standard applied. Photographic evidence is available on request.
6. Responsible recycling.
Shredded material is separated — metals (aluminium, steel, copper, rare earths) are recovered and recycled, residual plastics processed through an Authorised Approved Treatment Facility. Nothing reaches landfill. See our Computer Recycling & WEEE Recycling page for the wider recycling pathway.
The Certificate of Destruction is the document that closes your GDPR audit loop. A weak certificate — “5 drives destroyed on Tuesday” — is no defence at all. Every certificate we issue includes:
This is the paperwork your ICO enquiry, internal auditor or insurance underwriter will ask for, and it’s the paperwork that proves the data on a specific serial-numbered device is no longer recoverable.
Data shredding is a regulated activity, and choosing the wrong provider transfers their compliance gaps onto your business. We operate to:
This forms part of our wider IT Asset Disposal service, so if your project includes laptops, desktops, servers or other equipment, we handle everything in a single managed workflow rather than splitting the chain of custody between vendors.
Our shredding service is used across UK industries with the strictest data obligations:
For volume jobs that include working hardware as well as drives, pair shredding with our Bulk Laptop Disposal, Laptop Recycling or Desktop PCs Recycling services.
Destroying data does not have to mean wasting material. Once a drive is reduced to particles, the metals and rare earths inside are actually easier to recover than they would be from an intact device. We separate shredded output by material type and feed it back into the UK recycling stream through licensed downstream partners.
Every customer receives a recycling summary alongside their Certificate of Destruction: weight processed, materials recovered and CO₂ avoided compared with manufacturing the same materials from raw ore. It’s reporting your ESG and sustainability teams can use directly.
Working hardware that arrives alongside drives but does not itself need shredding is routed into our Resale & Remarketing channel, where a share of the recovered value is rebated back to you.
What is the difference between data shredding and data wiping?
Data shredding is the physical destruction of the storage device, reducing it to particles too small to reconstruct. Data wiping uses certified software to overwrite every accessible sector of a working drive. Both can be GDPR-defensible. Shredding is the only safe choice for damaged drives, SSDs holding sensitive data, or any device you want to be irrecoverable for compliance reasons.
Is shredding really safer than just wiping the drive?
For HDDs in perfect working order, a NIST 800-88 software wipe is recognised as secure. For SSDs, faulty drives, or anything you want absolute certainty on, shredding is the only method that physically eliminates the possibility of recovery — and the only one most regulators will accept without question.
Do you offer on-site shredding in the UK?
Yes. We bring shredding equipment to your premises so drives are destroyed before they leave your building. This is the standard choice for organisations whose internal policy or regulatory framework requires witnessed destruction. We cover most of mainland UK for on-site jobs; the further the location, the more it helps to batch the work.
What is DIN 66399 and which level do I need?
DIN 66399 is the international standard for media destruction security levels. For most UK businesses handling personal data, H-4 (≤30 mm² particles) is the right balance of cost and security. Healthcare, legal and high-confidentiality use cases generally require H-5. Government and defence work requires H-6 or H-7. If you’re unsure, we’ll recommend the right level based on your data classification.
Can you shred SSDs as well as hard drives?
Yes. SSDs need destruction equipment specifically configured for the smaller “E” particle sizes defined in DIN 66399, because flash chips are tiny and can survive a coarse shred. Our equipment handles both, and the destruction method is recorded on the certificate so your audit trail is unambiguous.
Will I get proof of destruction for each individual drive?
Yes. Every drive is logged by serial number, and the Certificate of Destruction lists each serial number, the destruction method, the DIN level and the date. This is the level of detail UK GDPR audits, ICO enquiries and PCI-DSS assessors require — batch-level certificates are not enough.
How long does it take from collection to certificate?
Collection is typically arranged within a few working days of booking. For off-site shredding, you receive your Certificate of Destruction within five working days of the drives reaching our facility. For on-site jobs, you can have a signed certificate the same day, with the full asset report following within a week.
Is data shredding GDPR-compliant?
Yes. UK GDPR requires that personal data is destroyed “in a manner that ensures it cannot be reconstructed.” Certified physical shredding to DIN 66399 H-3 or above, carried out by a documented data processor with a Certificate of Destruction, satisfies that requirement and gives you a defensible audit trail.
What happens to the shredded material?
It is separated by material type and fed into the UK recycling stream. Metals (aluminium, steel, copper, rare earths) are recovered for re-use; residual plastics are processed at an Authorised Approved Treatment Facility under the WEEE Regulations. Nothing goes to landfill.
Tell us what equipment you need collecting and your location using our simple booking form.
Our team reviews your request and confirms the best collection option and any costs involved.
We agree a convenient collection date and provide a time window for our visit.
Our professional team arrives on the agreed date to collect your IT equipment securely.