Documented procedure for disposal of Trademark packaging product

The Food Packaging Manufacturing Company I work for is working towards an SQF Certification and we recieved a minor non-compliance during our GAP Audit under 2.5.4.6. This section discusses the controlled disposal of trademarked food packaging product. Our auditor told us we needed to have a documented procedure that includes who and how often, if a contracted service is used, and the disposal process. I just recently made contact with the company we contract for this service and this was the information I got back:
 

We do not have a formal written agreement.

All non-baled, non-shredded printed sheets and/boxes are transported securely to their local facility where they are sorted/shredded/baled securely before being transported to their customers.  Non-conforming printed materials, if any, are disposed securely.

Is this process (conducted by an outside company) sufficient for the SQF requirement?

Do I need to obtain some formal document from our service provider stating their process?

Do I need to write a document for my company explaining the steps?

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

We do not have a formal written agreement.

> Need a formal agreement.

Is this process (conducted by an outside company) sufficient for the SQF requirement?

>Not really, there explanation while sufficient for them is vague --  you need them to explain in writing how they are going to process YOUR packaging and of course in turn your customers packaging to render it un-usable.

Do I need to obtain some formal document from our service provider stating their process?

> Yes.

Do I need to write a document for my company explaining the steps?

>Yes

We received a finding for this as well on our last audit. Our current trash company does not have a process and can not supply us with a written agreement. What I did instead was wrote a policy basically saying that if we need to dispose of trademarked goods we will find a company that can securely destroy our trademarked goods and supply evidence of destruction. (This is not something we dispose of frequently so this statement works for us). I also included in our policy that if it is a small amount that needs to be destroyed that we may elect to destroy them in house e.g. a roll of labels that are obsolete, using a sawzall to cut through them. I then created a form to fill out internally with signatures of different employees and other needed information to capture. 

Hope this helps! 

Thank you for you responses; this was very helpful.

We require a Letter of Destruction from all waste companies / recyclers we use for our trademarked waste. We actually drafted an agreement that they return to us in the form of a letter (See attached). We have been using this method for 5 years and has passed scrutiny every time.

We require a Letter of Destruction from all waste companies / recyclers we use for our trademarked waste. We actually drafted an agreement that they return to us in the form of a letter (See attached). We have been using this method for 5 years and has passed scrutiny every time.

Thanks for sharing this...is what i was looking for!  :spoton: