According to Earth911, in the U.S., paper recycling accounts for half of the recyclables collected per year, and our paper recycling rate is 63 percent.
In Brevard, shredded paper is no longer recycled. So if shredded paper cannot be recycled, what can we do with it?
Brevard County Solid Waste Management Dept.’s Recyclopedia lists Brevard County Public Libraries as a place where shredded paper is accepted for recycling.
Other alternatives are to compost the paper or reuse it for shipping, or pets (guinea pigs and such), or for the bottom of a gift basket, for example.
Maybe checking with local crafters, artists (who would need to ship their items) or shipping companies or animal shops/shelters will provide another option as they might like to have some for their own use.
An alternative to shredding paper posted by Earth911 that should be considered for at least some of the paper being shredded is to "use a permanent marker to remove the personal information without shredding the document. This ink is easily removed in the recycling process." Which means that if you can avoid shredding, that will be the best option if you want to recycle your paper.
