I'm sending this to the list instead of directly.  (Because there is a
slight entertainment value and I'm recalling an old personal experience.)

----

The easiest way, and one of the few other recommended ways to fully destroy
the media is by burning.  This is because data can be retrieved from the
smallest fragment in a lab.

Find an old thick oil barrel, some lighter fluid, and a match.  They melt
nicely and turn to slag.  Mixing in some regular combustibles such as wads
of paper and sticks to start it may help.

During the burning process, you'll need a metal pole to stir the material.
 This is because the layers of tape will stick together and may not burn.

Of course, this may not agree with the politically correct, environmental
crowd.  Neither will your fire department be happy, if there's an ordinance
against such practices within city limits.  If your business is in a rural
area you might get away with it.

If you're a government entity, it may also be justifiable depending how
sensitive in nature the data is.  But this method is usually reserved for
situations to prevent an enemy (or angry mob) from getting it, before
they're outside your door.  Otherwise your entity should have a procedure
for forwarding it to an authorized "destruction center."

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From:   Dean Colotti[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]

We have an excess of Mag Tapes and would like to get rid of them.  We would
like to destroy/make them unreadable.  What is the best way to do this
besides demagnetising them?