Shredded Paper

  • DON’T include shredded paper with your curbside recycling
  • DO drop off bagged shredded paper at a drop-off location

About This Item

Although the city’s curbside recycling program does accept many paper items, it does not accept shredded paper. The small pieces of shredded paper can not be properly separated at the curbside recycling receiving facility and can even cause the sorting machinery to shut down.

Instead, you can drop off your shredded paper for free at various city drop-off locations. These locations prefer you to drop off your shredded paper in tied plastic bags. See below for more information on the best way to prepare your shredded paper to increase its recycling value.

Drop-off at City drop-off locations.

The city’s various recycling drop-off locations accept shredded paper. The paper should be placed in bags that can be closed (plastic bags are preferred) so they can go to a separate part of the recycling facility to be opened and bailed.

Different types of paper have different value on the recycling market. White office paper is the most valuable and is even more valuable if it’s separated from other paper types, so if you have a mix of paper types then consider shredding & bagging your office paper separately.

Use shredded newspaper for composting.

Because newspaper is made of wood pulp and non-toxic dyes, it can be used as a source of carbon for residential composting. The best way to include newspaper in your composting is to shred it and make sure it is balanced out with a mix of other compostables. (More tips here.)

If you want to know more about composting in Pittsburgh, The Incline published a guide in 2018 that gives a lot of good information. PRC also hosts regular local workshops where attendees are taught how to compost and given a compost bin to get started with backyard composting.

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