• Shredded paper has less fiber value. Shredding cuts fibers into very short pieces, many of which pass through paper making screens and become waste at the paper plant. In addition, shredded paper often includes non-recyclables like credit cards and stickers, which can damage recycling equipment and increase costs.

• Shredded paper is difficult to sort from other recyclables. Loose shredded paper creates litter, contaminates other materials, such as glass, making them less marketable, and it often ends up in the garbage at the recycling center. (Commercial shredded paper exception*)
  
  
• Options for residential shredded paper:
  
  - Packing material
  - Animal bedding
  - Compost
  
  
  • Mix 2 parts paper with 1 part grass in a home compost pile.
  • Layer with food scraps and yard trimmings in a curbside food/yard waste cart.

   

  If none of the above options work for you, bag shredded paper and put it in the garbage.

* Commercial Shredded Paper Accepted in Clear Plastic Bags: Shredded paper that is free of plastic and metal and is contained in securely closed clear plastic bags is accepted in commercial recycling containers only.