DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS FAQ

A. Each records series listed on your schedule has specific disposition instructions that indicate how long that series must be kept in your office.

A. In your schedule a disposition which states "when administrative value ends" means that you can dispose of these records when your office has no administrative need or the records are no longer required to perform the duties of your office.

A. In your schedule a disposition which states "when reference value ends" means you can dispose of these records when your office has no further need of them for administrative or reference purposes.

A. After your office has an approved records retention and disposition schedule, records should be destroyed in one of the following ways:

1. burned, unless prohibited by local ordinance;
2. shredded, or torn up so as to destroy the record content of the documents or material concerned;
3. placed in acid vats so as to reduce the paper to pulp and to terminate the existence of the documents or materials concerned;
4. buried under such conditions that the record nature of the documents or materials will be terminated;
5. sold as waste paper, provided that the purchaser agrees in writing that the documents or materials concerned will not be resold as documents or records.

- N.C. Administrative Code, Title 7, Chapter 4, Subchapter M, Section .0510

Confidential records should be destroyed in a secure manner so that the information contained in them cannot be used. You should confirm with any destruction service that confidential records are being properly destroyed.

UNC-CH Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling has confidential recycling services that meet the guidelines listed above. More information can be obtained about their services at: http://www.fac.unc.edu/WasteReduction/Recyclables/cpr.asp.

A. Contact the University Records Manager (2-6402) or email: recman@unc.edu. We will discuss the nature of the records with you to determine if the records have historical value. If the records do not have historical value, we will work with you to revise your records schedule so that you can continue to destroy the records appropriately.

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