In an effort to help cut down on the amount of paper waste that makes it’s way to the local landfill, Keep Albany Dougherty Beautiful is hosting a special shredding event this Saturday behind the James H. Gray Sr. Civic Center in downtown Albany.

The paper and document shredding event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the civic center’s back parking lot, is free and designed to allow area residents to safely and securely dispose of unwanted paper and important personal documents they want to have destroyed.

Free paper shredding is typically provided by KADB each year during the organization’s September, Go Green, electronics collection event, but it was determined another shredding day was needed in the community.

According to KADB Executive Director Judy Bowles, the organization organized Saturday’s free shredding event with River Mill Data Management after KADB and Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, received numerous requests from the public to host another free shredding day.

“This event is a win win for our citizens,” said Bowles. “They are able to destroy documents that contain personal information, and they do the correct environmentally safe thing by recycling that paper. This allows them to property dispose of unwanted documents and letters that contain their personal information like social security numbers, thus making identity theft less likely.”

Bowles said residents who come Saturday can drop off their documents, which will be shredded on-site before the shred truck leaves for the day, or they can stay and watch their items be shredding.

River Mill Data Management is providing the shred truck, as well as employees to run the truck free of charge and KADB volunteers will be on site to assist.

Bowles added that River Mill Management officials were pleased to offer the second shredding event and committed to take part in another such event later in the year.