DYKER HEIGHTS  — An unlikely pairing hosted a community event at Assemblymember Lester Chang’s office: paper shredding with the NYC Dept. of Sanitation and a visit from the NYC Dept. of Buildings Community Engagement Unit.

The event, which was the brainchild of Chang, brought in representatives from both the sanitation department and the Department of Buildings (DOB). The DOB’s purpose was to resolve people’s problems locally, utilizing an expert on hand, “instead of going downtown and waiting on a line,” Chang told the Brooklyn Eagle.  

The DOB was equipped to provide assistance with construction project consultation for small properties and small businesses; in addition to providing general guidance about construction and building maintenance regulations; resolving open violations, including DOB violations and OATH summonses; and also resolving stop work orders. 

“If you own a home, and maybe have issues with a permit, this can be of help to you,” Chang said. “Or even if you just need some general information.” 

As for the paper shredding aspect of the event, “We have people that have documents to shred, but they just do not want to spend money on machines to do the work,” Chang pointed out, adding that shredding paper is also an ideal way to prevent ID fraud.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, four million tons of junk mail are sent to Americans annually in addition to legitimate mail, including bank statements, credit cards and other bills, which puts them at risk for identity theft. 

Another benefit of paper shredding (and recycling paper) is reducing the amount of paper we send to landfills, which in turn saves space for other materials that may not be recyclable. Shredding also helps reduce clutter in people’s homes and offices. 

Despite the recent increase in paperless data management, workplaces use roughly 10,000 sheets of copy paper every year. Collecting these papers and bringing them to a paper shredding event not only frees up room, but it also helps ensure that unused paper is recycled so it can be regenerated and used again. 

Chang pointed out that his goal is to try and do “some sort of city agency event” roughly one time a month.”

“It’s really about fulfilling my main mission — to serve the community, and respond to the needs of my constituents,” he said.