Can You Recycle Shredded Paper? What Texas Homes and Businesses Should Know

Yes, shredded paper can be recycled. But it is harder to recycle than whole sheets, and many curbside programs either restrict it or ask you to bag it a certain way. If you shred at home or in the office, here is what to know before you toss those strips in the blue bin.

Why Shredded Paper Is Harder to Recycle

Paper is recycled by breaking it down into fibers and pressing those fibers into new paper. Every time paper is shredded, those fibers get shorter. Short fibers make weaker paper, so mills can only use shredded paper for certain products, such as tissue, paper towels, egg cartons, and cardboard.

The bigger problem is sorting. Recycling centers use screens and conveyor belts to separate paper, plastic, and metal. Loose shreds slip through the screens, blow around the facility, and end up mixed with glass or trash. That contamination is why some cities ask residents to keep shredded paper out of curbside carts altogether.

How to Recycle Shredded Paper at Home

• Check your city rules first. Recycling rules vary by city and change over time. Look up your city or county recycling guide before you put shredded paper in the cart.
• Bag it in paper, not plastic. Where shredded paper is accepted, most programs ask you to put it in a closed paper bag so it stays together. Plastic bags jam sorting machines.
• Keep it clean and dry. Wet, greasy, or food-stained paper cannot be recycled.
• Remove plastic. Pull out plastic sleeves, binder pieces, and laminated pages before you shred.
• Compost small amounts. Plain shredded office paper can be added to a home compost pile as a carbon source.

The Easier Option: Let a Shredding Company Recycle It

When you use a professional shredding service, recycling is built in. At Marshall Shredding, your documents are shredded and the paper is baled and sent to a paper mill to be made into new products. You never have to bag strips of paper or wonder if your city will accept them. Learn more about our paper recycling efforts.

A shredding service also solves the security side. Home shredders usually cut paper into strips that can be pieced back together. Industrial shredders cut paper into much smaller pieces, and the shreds are mixed with thousands of pounds of other paper before recycling. You also receive a Certificate of Destruction as proof.

Options for Homes and Offices

• A few boxes: a one-time purge shredding service handles closets, garages, and storage rooms.
• Ongoing office paper: locked shredding containers stay in your office and are emptied on a schedule, then recycled.
• Want to watch it shredded: on-site shredding destroys your documents in our truck at your location.
• Residents: see our guide to residential shredding vs. doing it yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is shredded paper recyclable?

Yes. Shredded paper can be recycled into products like tissue, paper towels, and cardboard. Because the fibers are shorter and loose shreds are hard to sort, many curbside programs restrict it or require it to be bagged.

Can I put shredded paper in my curbside recycling bin?

It depends on your city. Some programs accept shredded paper in a closed paper bag, and others ask you to keep it out of the cart. Check your city recycling guide first.

Should I put shredded paper in a plastic bag?

No. Plastic bags tangle in sorting equipment. Where shredded paper is accepted, use a paper bag that is folded or stapled shut.

Does Marshall Shredding recycle the paper it shreds?

Yes. The paper we shred is baled and sent to be recycled into new paper products.

Can I compost shredded paper?

Plain shredded office paper can be composted in small amounts. Avoid glossy, coated, or colored paper.

Get Secure Shredding From Marshall Shredding

Marshall Shredding has protected Texas businesses and homeowners for more than 25 years. Call (866) 487-4733 or request a free quote. Every service includes a Certificate of Destruction.