San Diego County Credit Union sets a new world record for paper shredding

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego County Credit Union^® (SDCCU^®), San Diego's largest locally-owned financial institution, reports that more than 165,000 pounds of paper were collected and shredded on Saturday, July 20, setting a new Guinness World Record^® for the most paper collected in 24 hours.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130809/LA62113)

Starting at 7 a.m. on Saturday, July 20, at the Qualcomm^® Stadium northwest parking lot in San Diego's Mission Valley area, SDCCU customers, families, friends and members of the public began bringing boxes full of old documents containing personal and confidential information that was shred on the spot at no charge. Shred-It^®, the world's leading document destruction and recycling company, provided the shredding services. The first 1,000 people who took advantage of SDCCU's free shredding services received a free gift. Clear Channel Media + Entertainment San Diego radio stations KISS 95.7 and KOGO 600 were on-site promoting the event. Throughout the day, document contributors enjoyed free food, provided by Firehouse Subs and Rita's Italian Ice, and made donations to the San Diego Humane Society and SPCA, raising over $5,000.

"SDCCU has set the new world record and put San Diego on the map," said Teresa Halleck, San Diego County Credit Union President and CEO. "We are very grateful to our community for their support and being part of setting a world record. Moreover, we are happy that fewer individuals now have sensitive information sitting around their house."

Since 2007, when SDCCU began hosting its free Shred Day events, more than 634,500 pounds of documents have been shredded and recycled at no charge, saving over 6,000 trees.

"We significantly added to that total with this world record event," said Halleck. "SDCCU is committed to helping our customers and the community protect their confidential data and privacy. We are dedicated to preventing identity theft as well as our efforts to go green with our online banking services, such as eStatements and eReceipts."

The previous record was 156,880 pounds of shredded paper that was set by television station KHQ 6, American West Bank and Secure Shred in Spokane, Washington.

San Diego County Credit Union is San Diego's largest locally-owned financial institution serving San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties. SDCCU has assets of over $6.2 billion, more than 247,000 customers, 31 convenient branch locations and 30,000 surcharge-FREE ATMs. From FREE Checking with eStatements and SDCCU Mobile Deposit, to home and auto loans, Visa credit cards, money market accounts and business banking services, including commercial real estate loans; SDCCU provides breakthrough banking products that meet the demands of today's lifestyle and delivers banking services that save customers money. Federally insured by NCUA and is an equal housing lender. For more information, visit www.sdccu.com.

SOURCE San Diego County Credit Union