Hello
Paper towel from our bathrooms and kitchen forms the bulk of the waste from our offices going to landfill.
As a Local Government Authority we also manage parks and gardens so there is an opportunity to turn our non recyclable paper waste itto something useful through mulching or composting
Has anyone had experience with mulching or composting paper towel?
Many thanks
Sue
Sue Arndt
Tourism & Economic Development Officer
Mansfield Shire
Australia
www.mansfield.vic.gov.au
Mulching or Composting Paper Towels
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Hi Sue
We tend to recycle all our paper handtowels (fron non-clinical areas) into the office paper/cardboard bin.
On a recent visit to our materials recovery facility, I was advised that this is an acceptable practice as long as it is segregated with other paper/cardboard and not placed in commingled recycling.
On a personal level - I am an avid garden and can assure you that shredded paper makes a great much when combined with other organics (compost).
Rita Granata
SWAHS Waste Management Coordinator
Sydney West Area Health Service
Australia
Hi Sue
Alcoa Aluminium has a Composting and Worm Farm near Pinjarra in Western Australia and composts paper hand towels. There's nothing directly about it on the website.
Robyn Williams
POV Communication for Sustainability
www.sustainableseptember.net.au
Nearly all the cities of Alameda County, California allow paper towels and food soiled paper in the plant debris and food waste collection system. It is composted with organic matter at local commercial composting facilities. Visit Stopwaste.Org for specific details.
Wanda Redic
Recycling Specialist
City of Oakland
United States
www.oaklandrecycles.com
Hi Wanda,
Do you do anything to the paper towels before they are placed into the compost? Do you place the compost in a municipal composting facility to keep compost it at a constant temperature?
I am trying to compost our office brown rolled paper towels in my outdoor home composting bin. All the food, leaves and pine needles are breaking down in a just a few weeks but the paper towels havent broken down at all yet?
Are there any specifications on what type of brown paper towels that you take from offices in California? Is one brand of brown paper towels any better than another? Does anyone have any recommendations to share? Thank you for any advice that you can provide.
Sincerely,
Lisa Perschke
Business Recycle Coordinator
Recycle Ann Arbor
United States
www.recycleannarbor.org
The type of paper towel does not seem to matter. The difference is that all our paper towel goes to a commercial compost facility. Generally, all food & food-soiled paper (including paper towel) is sorted, put through a grinder and then put into windrows (aerobic decomp) where water is applied periodically. The windrows heat up during the decomp process quite a bit so I guess the heat takes care of the paper.
I'm not sure how to apply this concept to your home composting bin. I think moisture and heat might be the key. Perhaps there is a master composter out there who knows for sure.
Wanda Redic
Recycling Specialist
City of Oakland
United States
www.oaklandrecycles.com
Here, I'm quite certain you cannot recycle paper towels. Regardless, everybody who collects them sends them to the landfill. I've had a couple of schools and daycares say that they have trouble sourcing browns for their on-site composting and recommended that they collect their paper towels. Our social enterprise that does compost pickup also will accept bathroom paper towels (to take to an industrial facility).
The rule I tell people is, if you can send it to the blue bin, pick that first. If you NEED browns or can't put it in the blue bin, send it to your compost pile or yard waste bag.
In terms of composting paper products, go for it! It works fine in a backyard bin. Avoid anything glossy (though I need a source on that) as it's coated with all kinds of stuff. The paper is carbon-rich and works well. I'll use sawdust in a pinch as well in my backyard composting bin.
Teresa Looy
Compost Program Co-ordinator
Green Action Centre
Canada
...
The Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia has had a curbside organics collection program since 1996. Toilet paper and paper towel rolls as well as paper towels and napkins are among the items accepted in the organic cart. More details, including contact information, can be found on the Tools of Change site here: http://www.toolsofchange.com/English/CaseStudies/default.asp?ID=133 Anecdotally, I am also aware of homeowners who compost these items in their own yards without difficulty.
Nancy Webber
Program Development
Clean Nova Scotia
Canada
www.clean.ns.ca