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Droog Genzel 12-02-2005 11:56 AM

Composting Shredded Paper
 
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

SH



TILLER BILL 12-02-2005 12:11 PM

I think as long as there is no color ink it should be ok..

"Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning."

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At:

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Kay 12-02-2005 03:18 PM

In article , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

I always do
Along with all sorts of paper and soft card from packaging
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"


June Hughes 12-02-2005 04:00 PM

In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.
--
June Hughes

Mike 12-02-2005 04:05 PM

"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.
--
June Hughes


June can you give us a run down on proportions to use, and do you mix it in
or just dump it on top of the heap/compost bin? (We operate bins, we have
three of them)

Mike

--
H.M.S.Collingwood Ass. Llandudno 20 - 23 May Trip to Portmeirion
National Service (RAF) Ass. Cosford 24 - 27 June Lanc Bomber Fly Past
H.M.S.Impregnable Ass. Sussex 1 - 4 July Visit to Int. Fest of the Sea
British Pacific Fleet. Derby 2 - 5 Sept. Visit to Denby Pottery



Steve Harris 12-02-2005 04:59 PM

In article ,
(TILLER BILL) wrote:

I think as long as there is no color ink it should be ok..


So one should only shred and compost pure white unused paper? :-)

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com
A useful bit of gardening software at
http://www.netservs.com/garden/

June Hughes 12-02-2005 06:08 PM

In message , Mike
writes
"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.
--
June Hughes


June can you give us a run down on proportions to use, and do you mix it in
or just dump it on top of the heap/compost bin? (We operate bins, we have
three of them)

I have a barrel which turns, which I bought from Barnet council around
10 years ago for £10. I just layered the shredded paper with garden
refuse but that didn't work as well as the net-fabric-walled heap we
also had. I suppose there was more ventilation but unfortunately, I
disposed of that last year. I have never thought about proportions but
I should think if you put more paper on the heap than garden waste, you
will have a problem.
--
June Hughes

Nick Maclaren 12-02-2005 06:13 PM

In article , Mike wrote:
"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.


June can you give us a run down on proportions to use, and do you mix it in
or just dump it on top of the heap/compost bin? (We operate bins, we have
three of them)


Just dump it, though it needs to be crumpled enough that it doesn't
pack solid, and mixed with some earth (for the fungi) and something
that adds other nutrients (mainly nitrogen). In a household bin,
there is rarely any need to do more than avoid putting too much on
at once and crumpling flat stuff a bit.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Martin Sykes 12-02-2005 06:18 PM

"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Mike
writes
"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in
my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it
up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin
?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.
--
June Hughes


June can you give us a run down on proportions to use, and do you mix it
in
or just dump it on top of the heap/compost bin? (We operate bins, we have
three of them)

I have a barrel which turns, which I bought from Barnet council around 10
years ago for £10. I just layered the shredded paper with garden refuse
but that didn't work as well as the net-fabric-walled heap we also had. I
suppose there was more ventilation but unfortunately, I disposed of that
last year. I have never thought about proportions but I should think if
you put more paper on the heap than garden waste, you will have a problem.
--
June Hughes


I shred all my thin cardboard boxes ( cereal packets etc. ) and mix that
with the garden waste - especially the grass clippings. I reckon about a
quarter is as much as you can do because any more than that and it's too
hard to mix up sufficiently to avoid clumps of it which stick together and
make a surprisingly durable cardboard mat. The corrugated brown card which
the council will collect breaks down much more easily because it doesn't
have the waxy coating on it. I use a cross-cut shredder which gives smaller
bits. If you've only got a standard strip shredder then you can probably
only get away with half as much.

--
Martin & Anna Sykes
( Remove x's when replying )
http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~sykesm



Leslie 12-02-2005 06:35 PM

I shred an awful lot paper newspapers magazines etc.
I then use this as a mulch over any weedy part of the veg garden. I find
that potatoes grow very well under neath this mulch. Coloured inks have not
given me cause of concern and I have been doing this many years. The
following year I find that area where the mulch has been is very clean but
does need an fertiliser boost.

...................Leslie



"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...
In article , Mike
wrote:
"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in
my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it
up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin
?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.


June can you give us a run down on proportions to use, and do you mix it
in
or just dump it on top of the heap/compost bin? (We operate bins, we have
three of them)


Just dump it, though it needs to be crumpled enough that it doesn't
pack solid, and mixed with some earth (for the fungi) and something
that adds other nutrients (mainly nitrogen). In a household bin,
there is rarely any need to do more than avoid putting too much on
at once and crumpling flat stuff a bit.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.




June Hughes 12-02-2005 06:40 PM

In message , Nick Maclaren
writes
In article , Mike wrote:
"June Hughes" wrote in message
...
In message , Droog Genzel
writes
I have just realised that I produce a fair amount of shredded paper in my
home office from one of those small paper shredders. This one cuts it up
into small pieces.
Instead of binning this, is it any use putting it into the compost bin ?

I used to shred mine and compost it but now the council collects it
weekly for recycling. It used to break down well.


June can you give us a run down on proportions to use, and do you mix it in
or just dump it on top of the heap/compost bin? (We operate bins, we have
three of them)


Just dump it, though it needs to be crumpled enough that it doesn't
pack solid, and mixed with some earth (for the fungi) and something
that adds other nutrients (mainly nitrogen). In a household bin,
there is rarely any need to do more than avoid putting too much on
at once and crumpling flat stuff a bit.

As mine was shredded in the first place, I didn't need to crumple it. I
don't think squashing it into a block would work.
--
June Hughes

Douglas[_1_] 13-02-2005 02:04 AM

Where we are, the council (West Dunbartonshire) have given us a blue bin for things such as newspapers, magazines and plastic bottles, all for recycling.

What you say about cardboard and similar items is quite interesting though, becuase the council will not accept cardboard and the like.

We have also recently been given a brown bin for garden waste, so I can see that making a nice composting bin.......
I hear they are going to be giving us another one for something(I can't remember off hand) too.
And here, I didn't think West Dunbartinshire had the money!! (we are one of the poorest in Scotland).

An interesting thread anyway.

We recycle all our glass and things ourselves locally.

Chris Hogg 13-02-2005 08:04 AM

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 16:59 +0000 (GMT), (Steve
Harris) wrote:

In article ,
(TILLER BILL) wrote:

I think as long as there is no color ink it should be ok..


So one should only shred and compost pure white unused paper? :-)


Many years ago, the coloured pigments in inks could contain some quite
toxic components, but so much paper gets recycled these days, and as
it's not possible to predict what the recycled paper will get used
for, inks are now pretty harmless. The printing industry is also
required by law to consider the health and safety of its workers,
another reason to use non-toxic inks.

The paper itself consists mostly of cellulose fibres from wood,
occasionally from other vegetable fibres, often with mineral fillers
and coatings such as kaolin and chalk stuck together by modern polymer
adhesives.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

keith ;-\) 13-02-2005 08:57 PM

I live in Nottingham,England & we have a wheelie bin for
cardboard/paper,food tins,pop cans,plastic pop bottles.And another one for
our general household waste that isn't recyclable.And also a blue plastic
box for glass bottles.
I cant understand why your council don't take card.
--
Thanks Keith,England,UK.
"Douglas" wrote in message
...

Where we are, the council (West Dunbartonshire) have given us a blue bin
for things such as newspapers, magazines and plastic bottles, all for
recycling.

What you say about cardboard and similar items is quite interesting
though, becuase the council will not accept cardboard and the like.

We have also recently been given a brown bin for garden waste, so I can
see that making a nice composting bin.......
I hear they are going to be giving us another one for something(I can't
remember off hand) too.
And here, I didn't think West Dunbartinshire had the money!! (we are
one of the poorest in Scotland).

An interesting thread anyway.

We recycle all our glass and things ourselves locally.


--
Douglas




Douglas[_1_] 14-02-2005 02:28 AM

[quote=keith ;-\)]I live in Nottingham,England & we have a wheelie bin for
cardboard/paper,food tins,pop cans,plastic pop bottles.And another one for
our general household waste that isn't recyclable.And also a blue plastic
box for glass bottles.
I cant understand why your council don't take card.

*******
I don't know either, but these recycling things are only recent, so we probably still have more to come.

One for tins and cans as well as glass bottles would be great, as certain members of my family are Irn Bru addicts..... (I at least want to keep my teeth!)

I think we may be getting one for things like clothes and material, but I can't remember now.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, we also have a black bin for everything else.

All that stuff just seems such a waste.


We used to be suplied with a bag each week for our newspapers and magazines, but that stopped obviously when we got our wheelie bins instead.

Still have to take glass to the bottle banks at Safeway.

..... Morrisons, sorry.


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