Shred-It/Take-Back Event Set for Sept. 12 in Morristown

Thursday, September 03, 2015 | 03:33pm

MORRISTOWN – Hamblen County residents can protect their personal information and the health of their families by bringing outdated, private records and out-of-date prescription drugs to the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) free Shred It/Take-Back Event on Saturday, Sept 12 in Morristown.

Created through a partnership between TDCI’s Consumer Affairs Division, the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Criminal Investigations Division, the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department and the Morristown Police Department, the event will be held from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on the campus of Walters State Community College at 500 South Davy Crockett Parkway.

“With stories of identity theft always on the rise, I certainly hope the people of Hamblen County take advantage of this shred-it event,” said Rep. Tilman Goins, R-Morristown. “Combining state and local resources to host events such as this are important to the community. These events are organized for the betterment of us all, and I appreciate the efforts of all involved.”

Document shredders will be available to allow consumers to dispose of personal documents such as tax information and medical records. By shredding personal documents, consumers help prevent identity theft, which is one of the fastest-growing crimes in Tennessee. Identity thieves often search trash cans and garbage bins for private documents, bills, and other papers containing consumers’ personal information. Click here to learn more about preventing identity theft.  

The Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department will collect out-of-date prescription drugs and over-the-counter medicine that consumers can throw away without risk. Properly disposing of old drugs reduces the risk of your home being targeted for a drug-related theft and reduces the risk that children or visitors might accidentally fall ill from taking old medicine. 

Consumers should collect their outdated drugs in a garbage bag, box, or other container and bring them to the event for proper disposal.

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