Can you recycle paper shredders

Materials roll along large belts and paper shreds easily fall off into piles of non-recyclable items. Some, but not all, recycling facilities accept paper shreds.

However, if they are not properly bagged, they are picked off by workers looking for non-recyclables. When you use a professional shredding service, your shreds will be recycled.

There might be a misconception that shredding services are only for large scale shredding projects, but if you just have a few sheets to shred you can safely drop them off at thousands of locations throughout the U. If you have large of amounts of paper to shred on a regular basis, there are shredding options that allow you to pay a fee and have as much paper as you want picked up and shredded at an off site facility on a regular basis. Shred Nations partners with shredding professionals around the country.

Whether you prioritize speed, security, cost, or environmental concerns, we will help you find the best shredding service in your area. You will be pleased to know, the packaging most business machines and shredders are shipped in are all recyclable, removing your exposure to landfill disposal.

Cardboards Cardboard boxes may be used again for similar purposes however usually the cardboard recycling bin is the best place to dispose of this easily recyclable resource.

Best to lay boxes flat to get more into your recycling receptacle between empties. Plastics Many plastics can be recycled and with your contribution big or small, environmental sustainability is improved. If the plastic includes a recycle symbol and number, it can more than often be recycled. Here are some useful links including strategies and information explaining what the recycle number printed on plastic means and if it is recyclable.

Earlier, we explained that the washed paper pulp is spread out onto gigantic screens to dry in the recycling plant or paper mill. Unlike the recycled paper you made in your grade school days, paper mills need long strands of paper that will catch and stick to their screens. Small pieces , i. To make things easier for the recycling center staff, tie up your shredded paper in a clear bag or paper bag before adding it to your recycling bin.

The other problem is that in order to process it properly, recycling center workers need to engage in the painstaking separation of the fibers by hand. Because of the extra work involved, shredded paper is often seen as less valuable than other types of recyclable paper. As a result, many recycling companies are loath to accept shredded paper for recycling. For anyone looking to recycle shredded paper, we highly recommend checking your municipality's website for specific guidelines on how best to do so.

Confidential documents or those containing personal or financial information should be shredded or at least partially destroyed before disposing of them. Thankfully, Eco-Cycle has a solution to this conundrum. Eco-Cycle recommends ripping off the part of the paper that contains any sensitive information first and then putting the rest of the page in the recycling bin intact.

Then you can just put all the info bits in an envelope and shred the whole thing afterward.