It's and age old question - how do I dispose of used card printer ribbons. Are most campus card offices already doing it?

When you print an ID card, there is an imprint of the data left on the printer ribbon. When you are done with a ribbon, there is a visual record of the most recent 200 or more cards you’ve printed.

For years, some have warned that discarding ribbons in the trash is a dangerous idea as counterfeiters could use the data to duplicate valid IDs. Others dismiss the concern, pointing out that names and ID card numbers are of little value to fraudsters. Very few college and university card programs print social security numbers or other such data on their IDs today, so is the risk really that great?

In this episode of the "IDk" webinar series, CampusIDNews publisher Chris Corum talks with Rob Miskelly, President & General Manager at IDP Americas. His company manufactures the SmartBit, a dedicated device specially designed for printer ribbon shredding.

Among other topics, they discuss:

Is the idea of destroying used ribbons overblown, are there DIY methods to do the job, or is a ribbon shredder a must-have for a secure card office?

To watch the video, click the image at the top of this page.