What is the best way to recycle/dispose of shredded paper from your shredder?

Question

I've been dumping them into a trash bag and putting it all in the recycle bin - but there must be a better way!

Answer 1

I put all my shreddings in empty cereal boxes then throw them in the recycling bin. They don't like plastic bags in the silver bin and they don't like it in loose 'cos it blows away when they empty the bins!!

Answer 2

That is a very good way, why are you looking for another?

Answer 3

Layer the shredded paper with dirt to make a raised garden.  I did that to a raised bed a few years ago, and the dirt is rich and full of earthworms.

Answer 4

Put into your compost Bin in the garden or ask a neighbour to use theirs if you dont have one

Answer 5

put it into a bag hen once it builds up a bit take it to a recyling bin that way you also save gas.

Answer 6

find someone with Gerbils/hamsters or maybe a local pet store ........

Answer 7

i either use it as bedding for my chickens or add it to the compost heap

Answer 8

There are a lot of silent auction baskets for schools, non profits, etc. Our non profit uses the shredded paper for the stuffing for the baskets. We put a piece of tissue on the bottom of the basket, then the shredded paper and then some Easter Grass or more tissue paper and then fill it up and wrap it for the auction.

Answer 9

i would have to say there are a few ways I can suggest

I think you are doing a great job recycling it in the recycle bin but you could also look for a freecycle group and see if anyone has a puppy. They may be able to use it in different ways.

You could also place some in the bottom of your kitchen trash bag and it should soak up some liquids.

But the best thing is to recycle it in the bin that way it will be made into something else that will be useful again.

Answer 10

What worries me is that we are not really getting rid of this stuff. If you put it out in a plastic bag that may take at least 100 years to decompose (that's right, look it up), you have taken something that is completely biodegradable and sealed it in for all that time.  I started using what I can for some of these things:

- can be used instead of cat litter

-can be mixed up in flower beds to create a natural mulch    

-can be used for packing

-can be used as stuffing for a present in a bag

Another thing I do is to take about 30-40 pieces of the paper that I would have shredded and clip them together with 2 small binder clips instead. This way you can use the backsides of all those sheets and you will buy fewer notebooks. Kids like to get those just to use to color and draw on. I'm a staff writer and I do this often. It's not like it's embarrassing or anything, people either start doing it also or they just ignore it.

I have also started to use them to line my parakeet's cage.

A little over the top? Well, you know what they say- desperate times call for desperate measures.

Hope this helps.

Answer 11

burn it in the backyard

Answer 12

Use the shreddings as packing when you send things in the mail.  Paper is biodegradable, so it's fine to just throw away, just don't let it blow all over the streets.  That looks terrible.

Answer 13

you can work it into a compost pile if you have one.  worms love to eat paper!

Answer 14

Putting it into the recycling bin that contains paper and cardboard is the best way to recycle it.  You could also reuse it as a shipping protector for fragile items (instead of packing peanuts).  It seems you are doing the right thing already!

Answer 15

Don't put it in a plastic bag.  The recycler will simply throw the whole bag in the trash.  The best solution is to take it to a recycler who will put it in with other office paper.   The second best solution is to just put it in with your newspaper recycling.

Answer 16

What you're doing is fine, just make sure it's in a closed plastic bag so that it doesn't get contaminated with anything else.  If any liquid or other stuff gets into the bag then they have to throw it away.