The only paper thing I can think of that I will not add to the compost pile is paper money (guess it technically isn't paper anyway). ;)

If it is paper or cardboard, we compost it.

Dave

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Waxed paper, carbon paper (anyone remember carbon paper) thatÂs about it. Except for any icky stuff (bathroom, kleenex, etc) all other paper goes in if I get my hands on it. Oh yea, DigDirt is so right. DonÂt compost your money.
Bill Hill

I actually do put waxed paper (Waxtex beand) in my compost bin, and have had no problems with it. The Waxtex website says it is biodegradeable so in it goes!

Here is a link that might be useful: Waxtex bags

I am not looking to start any controversy, but want to answer the OP, and give my reasons for why I refuse to compost certain paper items.

At the present time I do not compost newspaper, junk mail, or used bathroom paper.

I donÂt compost newspaper, because of the ink. I contacted my regional newspaper and they told me that only the color ink is completely made from soy while most of the blank ink is still created from petroleum products. In addition, quite a few chemicals are used in bleaching the newsprint. Since this newspaper is owned by a large multimedia organization, I have a feeling that quite a few newspapers around the country have the same situation. IMO, I think you should contact your newspaper before composting newsprint.

I donÂt compost junk mail either, since I have no idea what kind of ink is on the paper. Instead, I recycle all of my newspapers and junk mail, so at least itÂs kept out of the waste steam.

As for human manure, my piles are not that closely managed to properly and safely compost that kind of material.

Oh yeah, and money, I donÂt compost that either!

Happy Composting to All,

PJ

I don't compost:

- papertowels that I used cleanser with (as in, spray cleaner on table, wipe w/papertowel - goes in the trash)

- used kleenex

- newspaper - b/c I don't have a shredder, and if I tear it by hand, it acts like a magnet to each other & clumps in one big bag & never decomposes

All the Best, Tree

PS - Here's one to add to what I DO compost - the miscellaneous napkins that you get from various deli/drivethru & keep in your "car napkin stash" & then use for various spills, etc. (again, not tissues) - when I clean out my car, those go into the compost (if I'm not in a rush)

I shredded a bunch of newspaper once out of desperation for browns, otherwise never put paper products in compost - we use them to start fires in the wood stove, as mulch in paths, or put them in the recycling bin. Putting paper in the compost, which is destined to go into our garden soil, is to my mind adding post-industrial waste to a relatively pure resource - an irreversible process. Whether soy or petroleum based, printers' inks contain a lot of added chemicals, bleached papers contain traces of dioxins, etc.

I didn't know this was a hot-button issue, and innocently asked about it once. Comments were innocuous, so I still didn't know after that! I will say, tho, that I, too, wonder what else is in paper. Ink may be soy-based, but we don't know what else is in it, and my guess (being a long-time label reader) is that there are a lot of other ingredients in it. And they're probably not environmentally friendly. This is an assumption, it would be good to actually find out. Maybe I'll get around to it one of these days. Until then, I won't use paper in compost.

Contrary to a couple posts, I don't have a problem with adding snotty kleenex. Though I am likely in agreement with them in that I don't like _accumulating_ snotty kleenex for use in the compost pile.

I'm also with most that I put anything remotely paper-like in the mix.

When you have allergies, you accumulate alot of used kleenex, I throw it in the bucket with the food scraps and assume the added moisture is a good thing.

We compost very few paper goods. We compost used tissues, but not much other paper. Hubby has a lot of allergies and goes through a lot of Kleenex. We only buy the plain white stuff, and it goes straight into the compost container in the house, which gets emptied once or twice a day. I use cloth handkerchiefs, so they aren't from me. We use rags and not paper towels for almost everything, our last roll of paper towels lasted about 4 years, no kidding.

We are dubious of laser printed paper, since the print doesn't actually degrade or come off if you soak it in water. (We have tested it.) That seems unnatural to me, like it has plastic in it or something. And who knows what is in the junk mail we get. The local paper does use all soy based inks, but evidently there are still a few chemicals that are unpleasant in those as well.

We do put cardboard down under lasagna beds, and will compost the odd bit of paper that has gotten ucky. But mainly our paper and cardboard goes to the recycling center one mile down the street. I would rather 'return' it for another go than have it rot, since I have plenty of OPL to use for browns in my compost.

Marcia

Hello all, I'm getting ready to start a compost pile and I'm wondering if the heat generated by an actively turned pile will kill any chemicals that may be present in shredded paper? I am talking about shredded newspaper, other (non glossy) plain paper from all sources like junk mail, printer paper, paper towels, cardboard....

My goal is to use the compost mainly in my vegetable garden but now I'm second guessing everything.

Yes Sue, that is the bone of contention. ;) Those of us who actively compost paper believe that the process neutralizes whatever chemicals there may be (you can't "kill" chemicals but you can neutralize and dilute them). Those that aren't convinced that it neutralizes them don't compost papers.

If you will review the many discussions on this issue here you'll find that several of us have recommended in the past that you contact your local newspaper and ask them for the ingredients in their ink. Then you can make up your own mind as to whether you wish to use the paper or not.

Dave

I have been really suprise when my boyfriend asked me not to put the contain from the bathroom garbage in the compost. I thought if we are careful with what we put in it, it would be a nice way to reduce our garbage. He thinks theres a probleme with putting in the compost bin a big quantity of tissues that have been in contact with virus like flue. By reading this blog I realise I didnt considered all the produce in the tissue itself.

I'm living in an appartment so for now the compost we accumulate is pick up by the city. Do you think I can compost our collection on tissus?

If you are using the compost for flowers and not for vegetables, then I guess the issue of inks etc on paper becomes a non issue?

Surely there would be insufficient to leach into soil, especially after it has gone through the composting process?

I think the other question you should ask (besides what is in the inks and paper you are composting) is what affect the process of composting has on those chemicals. Bacterial cultures are used both in commercial and home treatment systems and it might be that the critters that are breaking down the fibers of your paper will also decompose the chemcials in the paper. If that is the case it would make it a safer and greener alternative then the landfill. Any biologists/biochemists out there that want to weigh in on that?