Can you Recycle Shredded Office Paper?

Here’s a question from one of our readers that came in via email:

“I shred my personal documents in a paper shredder, which collects in a plastic bag. Since you’re not supposed to put plastic bags in the bin, should you just dump the shredded material loosely in the recycling bin?”

In short, no.

According to Zero Waste and Litter Director Nic Esposito, shredded paper is too small to get sorted properly at the MRF.

“Unless it’s a specialty shredded paper recycler, it’s not getting recycled because the shredded paper in single stream is getting mixed with the crushed glass.”

So what can you do with shredded paper? The better move is using it for composting as a brown material.

Photo by Tomoe Steineck on Unsplash

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.