Can you recycle?
Shredded paper can be recycled, but not all local councils will collect it for recycling, as some paper mills can’t process it. This is because:
- Shredding paper weakens it;
- It could pose problems at paper mills e.g. maintenance and fire hazard issues.
If your council doesn’t collect it for recycling, you can:
- Take it to a paper bank;
- Add it to your home compost; No coloured or glossy paper which can contain chemicals that are harmful to plants;
- Place some in the bottom of your food waste recycling bin to soak up any liquid and help prevent dripping (again no coloured or glossy paper!);
- Throw in your rubbish bin.
![Pile of shredded paper](https://londonrecycles.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Shredded-paper-1024x585.jpg)