Disposal
and Destruction
Classified documents and material identified for destruction
shall be destroyed completely, to prevent anyone from
reconstructing the classified information. This may be
determined by the agency as long as approved methods are
followed.
Approved methods and equipment routinely used include:
- Burning
- Crosscut shredding*
- wet pulping
- mutilation
- chemical decomposition or pulverizing
*Only crosscut shredders listed on the NSA/CSS Evaluated
Products List (EPL) for High Security Crosscut Paper Shredders
may be used to destroy classified material. Those agencies
having crosscut shredders capable of maintaining a shred size of
1/2 inch by 1/32 inch (variance of 1/64 inch) may continue to be
used, EXCEPT for destruction of COMSEC materials. However, those
crosscut shredders requiring replacement of the unit and/or
rebuild of the shredder blades assembly MUST BE REPLACED by a
crosscut shredder on the latest NSA/CSS EPL.
DoD Memo on Cross-cut shredders
NSA/CSS/EPL