Can you recycle shredded paper? Yes, you can, and you should.
As most people are still confused about which bin shredded paper goes in, here’s a read that clarified it all. Paper should always be recycled, and that’s the simplest step we must take for a healthier, greener Earth. However, what about really tiny paper material like shredded confidential documents and packing goods?
Shredded paper is, hands down, tricky to recycle. It’s tiny, difficult to recycle with the other general rubbish, and can even get stuck in typical recycling machines.
So, how to dispose of shredded paper the right way? Does the UK have specific rules and regulations regarding recycling shredded paper?
In this comprehensive guide, let’s uncover how to dispose of shredded paper correctly to avoid irresponsible landfill dumping.
What Is Shredded Paper and Why Is It Different from Regular Paper?
A regular paper is a typical sheet made from cellulose fibre and used for writing, wrapping, packing, and similar purposes. Shredded paper is the same material that has been shredded and is typically very small.
While both are paper, their form, function, and disposal methods vary across the UK.
Where does shredded come from?
You must be wondering if it’s tricky to dispose of, so why shred them at all. Shredded paper has its own range of utility across industries –
- Confidential documents, from legal to medical, contain tons of private information that does not need to be made public. Hence, such sheets of paper are shredded before disposal to avoid a data breach.
- Packaging industries worldwide utilise shredded paper to fill voids and cushion breakable items, enhancing delivery.
- Animal care units and pet parents use shredded material for bedding and litter to create a comfortable, absorbent environment.
- For composting bins, brown shredded paper is quite common because it’s carbon-rich and adds nutrients to the compost.
So, there is no physical or chemical difference between regular paper and shredded paper. Only, shredded paper is made with a paper shredder and is –
- Small and cross-cut
- Difficult to recycle
- Lightweight and messy
- Prone to static cling
- Prone to jamming recycling machinery
How to Recycle Shredded Paper Properly?
Can you put shredded paper in the recycling bin? – Yes, and there’s a right way to do it.
Before we begin, understand this: Not all councils collect shredded paper for recycling. Since the particles are tiny and tend to clog the machinery, they typically avoid shredded paper.
The best way to find out is to contact the local council directly. However, there are private waste management companies, such as Enviro Waste Management, that offer paper recycling services tailored to your convenience.
Here’s how to recycle shredded paper and ensure it does not end up in landfills –
- Look for licensed waste management companies that offer confidential waste management or shredded waste collection. They are typically aligned with recycling centres that use advanced tools to manage shredded paper.
- If yours is a commercial space that handles tons of shredded paper daily, these licensed careers also offer daily collection plans. And for small-scale shredded paper, you may opt for one-off collection services.
- A licensed career helps ensure the destruction of all kinds of documents, confidential or not, and that every process complies with the Simpler Recycling Policy and is safe for the environment.
- 100% of the shredded paper recycled in the UK paper mills is turned into essentials like toilet paper and other related products. These are licensed facilities that ensure no shreds are left untreated or end up in landfills.
Steps to Recycling Shredded Paper
As a commercial business owner, it is a critical responsibility to ensure that no waste reaches the wrong place – even a small bit of paper.
So, here’s how to recycle shredded paper, helping Earth become cleaner by the day –
Collection
The shredded papers need to be collected in a designated disposal bag or basket. Since each local authority and even licensed carriers work differently, we advise against mixing it with general mixed waste. We also request businesses and homeowner to pack the shredded paper in a paper wrap or a bag to prevent a mess.
Also, shredded paper and cardboard, as well as regular paper and cardboard, usually go in blue-lidded bins in the UK. There are different coloured bins in the UK for varied waste items, and it is critical to learn about them all and put the correct items in designated bins for seamless collection and processing.
If you have various forms of paper, such as cross-cuts, strips, and micro-cuts, it’s best to put them in separate bags to streamline the recycling process.
Contaminant Removal
Removing any contamination from the shredded papers is absolutely crucial. Elements such as stapler pins, plastic wrappings, paper clips, pins, and more must be removed.
Failing to remove such elements may interfere with the recycling process and make discarding impossible.
Additional Tips: For larger amounts of shredded paper, containment is crucial. We suggest using sturdy waste collection bags to avoid paper trails.
UK Rules and Regulations on Shredded Papers Recycling – Queries Answered
What happens to paper once it is collected?
If you opt for confidential waste management, the process begins with the safe, secure shredding of documents and other papers. If the waste is already shredded paper, the collection is compressed into balers at the facilities and delivered to recycling centres, where it is turned into toilet paper, hand towels and similar products.
Are all types of shredded paper recyclable?
No. All types of shredded paper cannot be recycled. Any paper material layered with wax, plastic, or foil cannot be recycled. It is vital to check before placing those recycling bins.
What are the various types of paper you can shred and recycle?
Here’s a list of common types of paper you can shred and recycle in the UK –
- Brown paper
- Cardboard
- Directories
- Envelopes
- Catalogues
- Newspapers
- Magazines
Confidential documents
There’s more to this list. We suggest contacting your chosen waste carrier for further details.
Can you put shredded paper in the home recycling bin?
The recycling machinery used to recycle kerbside collection cannot process items smaller than 45mm. So, it must be collected in separate collection bins or bags.
How many times can we recycle shredded paper?
While a complete sheet of paper can be recycled a few times, depending on its quality, once it has been turned into shredded paper and into a specific type of product post-recycling, it cannot be repurposed further. The fibres become too small to be reprocessed and end up in general waste bins instead.
Where can I take my shredded papers for recycling?
Beyond licensed waste carriers, councils in the UK offer roadside paper recycling collection. You can also find paper recycling banks across supermarkets or retail parks.
How Does Recycling Shredded Paper Help the Environment?
At Enviro Waste Management, we constantly raise awareness about recycling shredded and regular paper. We could simply tell you that it is a sustainable, trusted cycle that helps the environment. However, we will share some stats instead –
- Recycling paper reduces air pollution by 73%.
- Recycling paper also reduced energy use for raw material production by 70%.
- Twenty-four trees are cut down to make a ton of newspaper. Another ton means another 24 trees – and that’s just newspaper.
As an individual or a business, recycling shredded paper and other waste products helps create a cleaner Earth and a lower carbon footprint. The fewer the number of trees mowed, the more carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere.
Create the change needed! Get your collection of shredded paper recycled with Enviro. We also have a team of waste management professionals for seamless, secure, and confidential waste management, with proper transfer notes and certificates.
