Resource Recovery Says — Think Before you Shred

Shredding sensitive bank information or employee pay stubs is a smart idea.

But if you habitually shred paper that doesn't contain personal information, the operator of the state landfill is suggesting you think twice before dropping that junk mail into the grinding blades.

It turns out that shredded paper is not so great when it comes to recycling.

According to Rhode Island Resource Recovery, 

Shredded paper is less desirable to paper mills than intact paper because the shredding process shortens paper fibers, making them weak. When paper is recycled whole, paper fibers remains long and strong – providing a product that is much easier to recycle into a wider variety of products.

Following the recent launch of the informational ‘Think Before You Shred!’ poster produced by the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), the Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation (RIRRC) is highlighting the importance of proper paper shredding and recycling methods to Rhode Island businesses and residents. 

“We would love to see the AF&PA’s new instructional ‘Think Before You Shred!’ poster hung in every office building throughout Rhode Island, and the poster is a great resource for residents too,” said Sarah Kite, Director of Recycling Services for RIRRC, who, in consulting with the Association provided her expertise on the document. “Quite often, businesses and consumers shred non-sensitive documents that should be put directly in the recycling bin. Doing this reduces the quality of the paper, thus lessening its value on the open market. Here in Rhode Island, profits made from selling household recyclables are shared with our cities and towns. This poster will serve as a helpful guide to many Rhode Islanders.”

The new AF&PA poster advises consumers to only shred documents that contain sensitive information. Documents containing sensitive information include: bank statements, pay stubs, investment transactions, pre-approved credit card applications, medical records, tax forms, and documents containing credit card and social security numbers. Non-sensitive documents include: general mail, junk mail, folders, office paper and documents, greeting cards, books and magazines.

“Paper recycling has achieved unparalleled success in this country,” said AF&PA Group Vice President Cathy Foley. “Following the guidelines in ‘Think Before You Shred!’ will help improve paper recovery and recycling efforts across the nation.”

The ‘Think Before You Shred’ poster is available for PDF download on the Association website at www.paperrecycles.org/shreddeddocuments and is intended to be used by a wide variety of audiences – from businesses and government institutions to families and individuals.

While it is important to make the proper decisions about which paper materials should be shredded, RIRRC also emphasizes the importance of properly preparing shredded paper before recycling, so they may be correctly processed at the state’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).

Under the state’s recycling program, Recycle Together RI, particles of loose shredded paper cannot be recycled directly in a bin or cart. All shredded paper must be double-bagged in clear or fairly see-through plastic bags and firmly tied shut before recycled. This method ensures that the paper-filled plastic bags will be properly processed at the MRF. 

To learn more about proper paper shredding and recycling methods in Rhode Island or the Recycle Together RI program, visit www.RecycleTogetherRI.org. To learn more about the American Forest & Paper Association, visit www.afandpa.org.