Recycle Shreds Yourself, Why You Can’t DIY

Because paper shreds are too small to sort during recycling compared to other materials, most recycling plants won’t accept them in small volumes. This means that you lose the chance to be sustainable if you shred your own files—and if you want to recycle instead, then you can’t shred.

How to recycle your paper shreds

While you can’t personally recycle shreds, when you use paper shredding services the provider creates enough shreds for a recycling facility that recycles paper shreds exclusively.

1. Following Up on Shredding

After the shredding is complete, the shreds are taken to a recycling facility. Upon arrival, the recycling process begins by placing the shredded paper in vats to be chemically washed with heat applied.

2. The Paper Recycling Process

Once they’re broken down, the paper fibers are pressed through a screen to remove any contaminants. Afterwards, the paper fibers are washed to remove any remaining ink.

3. Finishing the Circle of Life

Finally, the pulped paper is bonded, dried, and used for new paper products—keeping your shredding not just eco-friendly, but also secure because the paper shreds are completely destroyed.

Courtesy of shrednations.com