Instead of disposing of important documents in the trash, we choose to shred the paper so that the information on these documents becomes illegible and incomprehensible for others.

Shredding of old classified or personal documents protects our sensitive data from getting into the wrong hands. And while it is completely alright, in fact, recommended that you shred your old documents, it is not wise to discard them in the recycling bins.

Why Can’t You Put Shredded Papers in Recycling Bins?

Shredded pieces of paper that are discarded in the recycling bins just end up in landfills. You may think that because you have placed them in the recycling bin, these loose pieces of shredded papers will be recycled, but that is not the case. Even if you have collected all the shredded papers in a paper bag, sealed it properly, and then discarded it, the recycling facilities will just put it aside as non-recyclable waste and send it to landfills.

The loose pieces of shredded papers are too small for the recycling belts. Many recycling facilities have large belts and screens to sort waste for recycling. These small pieces of shredded paper either get blown away by the wind and just create a mess at the recycling plants or fall right through the belts and filtering screens to be collected as non-recyclable waste. Moreover, when the paper pulp and mache is being prepared for paper recycling, these loose bits of paper do not mix well with the other papers.

This is the reason why recycling facilities that come to collect solid waste from recycling bins don’t take your shredded papers.

Please take note that the smallest size of paper that is acceptable for recycling is A5. Anything smaller than that will just be thrown in landfills.

So What Should You Do With Your Shredded Papers?

There are two ways to safely dispose of your private and classified documents. Even if you decide to shred these documents yourself, shredding companies around the USA charge only $1 for every 1 pound of shredded paper waste. There are several locations across the country where you can drop-off your shredded papers and pay the fee to have them recycled.

These shredding companies manage large-scale shredding operations and have contacts with recycling plants to recycle shredded paper waste in bulk. Do bear in mind that recycling plants do not accept a few loose pieces of shredded paper for recycling even if you agree to pay for it because it is a hassle for them to sort and manage this waste.

Another method to safely dispose of your documents that contain sensitive information is to give them directly to the shredding company. These shredding companies are reliable, authorized, and HIPPA compliant. They manage large-scale shredding operations for mega conglomerates, Fortune 500 companies, government departments, and other private and public institutes. These shredding companies can be trusted with your personal and sensitive documents. To make the process more trustworthy, shredding companies will give you a Certificate of Destruction after your documents have been safely shredded and sent for recycling.

Paper Shredding at New Jersey Shredding

At New Jersey Shredding, we offer our customers two options. We can come to your office or home and shred your personal documents right in front of you, or we can take them to an off-site location, safely shred them, and send them for recycling along with other shredded papers.

We understand your desire to save the environment as well as protect your privacy. This is why all our operations are in accordance with the state laws. We are a HIPPA and HITECH compliant shredding service in New Jersey.

So, call us today at (201) 371-5900 to get a free quote or contact us here for more information on safe and confidential paper shredding.

Final Word

We hope you found our blog on the topic ‘why is it wrong to put shredded papers in recycling bins’ to be an informative read. For more information on paper shredding and hardware destruction, keep following our blog.

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