Clear Out Paperwork: Manatee Shred Day Nov 15
Grab the last of your old bank statements and hard drives and roll through. The Manatee Clerk is hosting a free drive-thru Shred Day on Nov 15 to help locals prevent identity theft.
Make a dent in the clutter and keep your identity intact
Paper piles collect like sand on the beach. One weekend, one truck, and you can make them disappear. The Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller is staging a fall Community Shred Day on Saturday, November 15. It is a free, drive-thru chance for Manatee County residents to securely destroy sensitive documents and hard drives and walk away with less risk of identity theft.
The basics you need to know
Date and time: Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. or until the shred truck reaches capacity. Location: Manatee Technical College, 6305 SR 70 E, Bradenton. Cost: Free to the public. Format: Drive-thru. Limit: Two standard-size bankers’ boxes or copy paper boxes per vehicle, roughly 12 inches by 10 inches by 15 inches.
What they will accept
The event will take in personal documents that contain private information and will also destroy hard drives that have been removed from computers or laptops. This is a hands-off, drive-thru service designed to make secure disposal fast and simple for busy residents.
Why it matters now
Identity theft and fraud do not take holidays. Old bank statements, tax records, insurance forms, and unattended hard drives offer thieves the raw material they need. Shredding paper documents and destroying hard drives removes that fuel. If you have sensitive materials piling up in a closet or garage, this event is a practical way to reduce your exposure.
Simple tips before you go
1. Sort first. Pull together the documents you want destroyed and box them in the permitted box size. Limit the load to two boxes per vehicle so the line moves smoothly for everyone.
2. Deal with hard drives carefully. If you plan to have a hard drive destroyed bring it already removed from the device and clearly contained. Back up any data you want to keep before you remove or destroy a drive.
3. Protect personal time. Expect a line. Drive-thru events are efficient, but arrive early to avoid missing the window if the shred truck fills to capacity.
How the shred helps the community
Events like this give residents a secure, no-cost option to eliminate documents that would otherwise linger in homes or be thrown into ordinary trash. They lower the risk of local identity theft and fraud and keep private data out of the wrong hands. They also recycle shredded material where possible, turning one cleanup into a small environmental win.
Final word
Bring your boxes, remove any drives you plan to destroy, and drive through Manatee Technical College on November 15. It is an easy, free move to protect your information and lighten your load. If you live in Manatee County and have sensitive documents, this is the civic event you did not know you needed.
For more details, check the Manatee Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller’s announcements or the Manatee Technical College directions before you go.
