Secure Media Sanitisation and Physical Destruction
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Degaussing first A high-strength electromagnetic field neutralises supported magnetic media, rendering the data unrecoverable and the drive inoperable.
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Shredding for physical assurance The sanitised media is then physically shredded into small particles. This approach is often preferred by regulated organisations seeking an additional layer of disposal assurance.
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Handled by FAITH-trained personnel Your destruction workflow is managed by FAITH International's trained operational staff, helping maintain process consistency, accountability and confidentiality.
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Controlled chain-of-custody Media is handled under secure collection and destruction workflows, whether destruction is carried out on-site at your premises or off-site at FAITH International's monitored facility.
Degaussing vs Shredding — What's Right for You?
Uses a high-strength electromagnetic field to neutralise data on supported magnetic media such as HDDs and tapes. The media is rendered unusable and the stored data cannot be recovered.
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Suitable for HDDs, magnetic tapes and legacy magnetic media
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Data becomes unrecoverable after treatment
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Supports high-coercivity magnetic media requirements
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Efficient for batch processing of eligible media
Physically destroys storage media into particles, providing visible and irreversible destruction. It is commonly used for SSDs, flash media and environments that require a physical destruction outcome.
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Suitable for SSDs, flash media and other electronic storage devices
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Provides visible physical destruction
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Supports simpler downstream disposal handling
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Can be used as a standalone or combined destruction method
Supported Media Types
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Hard Disk Drives (HDD) — all form factors and capacities
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Solid-State Drives (SSD) — via physical shredding
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Magnetic Tape Drives — LTO, DLT and other tape formats
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USB Drives & Flash Media — thumb drives, memory cards
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Optical Media — CD, DVD, Blu-ray
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Mobile Devices — phones, tablets (shredding)
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Other magnetic media — floppy disks and legacy formats
Service Delivery Options
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On-site destruction — destruction performed at your premises for greater operational control and optional witnessing by authorised personnel.
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Off-site destruction — media transported under controlled handling to FAITH International's facility for efficient batch processing.
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One-time or scheduled service — suitable for ad hoc destruction requirements or recurring collection programmes.
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Witnessed destruction options — observation arrangements can be made where internal policy requires it.
What You Receive After Service Completion
- Certificate of Data Destruction / Certificate of Destruction
- Chain-of-custody or job completion record
- Optional serial number listing where required
- Optional photo/video evidence where required
- Supporting documentation for internal governance or audit needs
Frequently Asked Questions About Degaussing & Shredding
What is degaussing, and when should we use it?
Degaussing uses a high-strength electromagnetic field to neutralise supported magnetic storage media so the stored data cannot be recovered. It is commonly used for HDDs and magnetic tapes where irreversible sanitisation is required. After treatment, the media is no longer usable.
What is shredding, and why shred after degaussing?
Shredding physically destroys the media into small particles. Many regulated organisations prefer physical destruction as an additional assurance step, and it is also necessary for storage types such as SSDs and flash media that cannot be degaussed.
Does degaussing work on SSDs, USB drives or flash storage?
Generally, no. SSDs, USB drives and other flash-based media are not magnetic, so degaussing is not effective. These media types are typically handled through approved sanitisation methods and/or physical shredding, depending on policy requirements.
On-site vs off-site destruction — which is better for banks?
That depends on your security policy, operational constraints and batch size. On-site destruction provides greater control and supports witnessing, while off-site destruction is often more efficient for larger volumes when supported by proper chain-of-custody handling and documentation.
What documentation do we receive after the service?
Typical deliverables include a Certificate of Destruction, job record noting the service date, method and scope, and an optional serial number listing where required for internal audit or compliance purposes.