Can you put regular paper in those green and yellow dumpsters that are for newspapers? (For recycling)?

Question

Can you put regular paper in those green and yellow dumpsters that are for newspapers? (For recycling)?

Answer 1

If it is labeled just for newspapers, then no!

Newspaper use a different type of ink, usually carbon black and some type of carrier, that disperses easily in the recycling process.

Regular paper (like office paper) increasingly has thermoplastic inks, like those from a laser printer or a photocopier. (The letters are actually thin layers of plastic film) Those inks must be dealt with in a process that is radically different than that for newspapers.

Waste newspapers are a fairly low cost scrap and as such, received very little sorting.  Any papers with thermoplastic inks would likely proceed to the recycle mill where they could cause issues.

Here's how to tell the difference: rub the letters with a pencil eraser.  If the eraser removes the letters, put it in with the newspapers.  If the paper below the letter starts to degrade before the ink is removed, then put it in a different recycling bin.

Answer 2

DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

Not to be rude like the first girl, but yes. They are for any  sort of paper.

Answer 4

Anything paper may be deposited in these dumpsters - no cardboard or plastics

Answer 5

No don't do it the recylcing police will drop by.