Skip to main content
How to Recycle Office Paper

How to Recycle Office Paper

Paper is 100% recyclable, but is also eminently re-purposable and compostable. It can be placed in your council recycling bin.

Using both sides of paper will decrease the amount of paper you use and therefore have to buy. Keep a drawer or box in your office or kitchen dedicated to scrap paper. When you have finished with paper but you have only used one side, add it to the pile to be reused at a later stage.

Instead of recycling paper, try and repurpose or reuse it first. Reuse unwanted pieces of paper with one blank side as scrap or for children’s drawing. Shredded paper can also be donated to pet shops, as it can be used for the puppy, kitten, and hermit crab enclosures.



If your boss isn't looking, try learning a bit of origami. It's immensely good for relaxation and if you get caught, it's also an excellent OH&S defence.

Paper can be composted; just shred it and add it to your compost bin. Remember that your compost needs to be moist, so if you add to much newspaper, then it will be too dry. For more information on composting see our How to Compost tip.


Something incorrect here? Suggest an update below:
ekko.world
Science Notes
Every tonne of paper recycled saves thirteen trees, more than two barrels of oil, over 4000kW of electricity, over 30000L of water and four cubic metres of landfill. 

The process of recycling paper is simple. The original product is broken down mechanically or chemically, creating pulp which is then remanufactured into another paper product. Paper can be recycled up to eight times. After this it is converted to organic waste for safe breakdown.

Related Tip
Paper can be used as kids' entertainment. Origami, paper planes and chatterboxes can all be made from scrap paper. It also has a thousand uses for adults - gift tags, scrap books, lists - the list is endless.