Shredded Paper

How to prepare it

• Check whether your specific curbside program accepts shredded paper at all before including it
• If accepted, bag it (a paper bag, not loose or in a plastic bag, unless your program says otherwise) rather than pouring it loose into the bin
• If not accepted curbside, compost it or hold it for a local shredding/recycling collection event

Related items

• Cardboard

Frequently asked questions

Where can I recycle shredded paper?

Whether shredded paper can go in curbside recycling depends entirely on your local program, per the EPA, there's no single national answer. The short fibers created by shredding fall through sorting-facility screens and can contaminate other recyclables, which is why some cities (Dallas's official guide, for example) exclude it from curbside bins entirely and instead direct residents to compost it or bring it to a periodic shredding/recycling collection event.

Can shredded paper go in curbside recycling?

Check your local program before bagging it up, acceptance varies significantly by city. If your program does accept it, it almost always needs to be bagged (commonly in a paper bag, not loose) rather than poured in loose. Some cities exclude it entirely, Dallas's official recycling guide lists shredded paper as a curbside 'no' and directs residents to compost it or bring it to a periodic Recycling Round-Up event instead.