On 16/10/2014 10:21, Chris Hogg wrote:
On 16 Oct 2014 08:53:18 GMT, Derek Turner wrote:

On Thu, 16 Oct 2014 09:20:35 +0100, Bill P wrote:

Is it ok to put carboard packaging into a compost bin if it has a shiney
printed side. Tornup of course.

Yes, though shredded would be better in terms of breakdown time.

+1; the shiny stuff does take longer to break down than plain
cardboard. But beware of plastic-coated cardboard and plastic adhesive
parcel tape. Some types of foam packing 'squiggles' can also be put on
the compost heap. They are the ones made from starch and are usually
pale cream in colour, and instantly go soggy in water (you can
actually eat them; probably as nourishing as some breakfast cereals!).

Another possibility if you have large sheets of cardboard is simply to
lay the stuff flat on your flowerbeds, and cover it with a mulch of
compost, soil, grass-cuttings or whatever to speed the breakdown, and
for aesthetic reasons. It will suppress weeds and feed the soil,
although as above, shiny stuff takes longer to break down.



+1. Tearing up the cardboard is fine, but scrunch it up before putting
it on the compost heap, so that it does not form one large anaerobic
layer. Wetting it will encourage it to break down sooner. Any plastic
content, (as mentioned by Chris) will just remain in the heap when
everything else has broken down. I don't find this a problem because I
riddle/sieve my compost before using it, rather than mulching with it in
bulk form, so I just pick out unwanted material and bin it. If you want
to mulch with it before it is fully decomposed, then you will have to
avoid plastics and plasticated card when filling your heap/bin.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay