[gsc]

Does anyone know what's in it when it's shiny?

I bought a shredder (yes I know - I love my gadgets and new toys).  Got one that will take 20 heets, staples, CDs, credit cards etc hoping it would be man enough for cardboard too.  And whoopee - it is.

But should or should I compost the shiny stuff?  The jury is still out on the washing poweder box and the cat pouches box.

[madcat]

I ripped up and composted everything vaguely paper /cardboard last year.  Digging it out this spring - the shiny faced cardboard (cat pouches/munchies, washing powder etc) hadnt rotted very well and the top layer of the cardboard was mostly intact.  Easy to spot and bin tho', so not a real problem.  It might be more of a problem if it is shredded.

However - top tip here - our compost bins are made of pallets and we have an everlasting problem with things burrowing in and falling out through the gaps.  We lined one of the bins with the shiny cardboard - very roughly you understand, no origami here - and it worked a treat.  The compost in the bin was better (warmer?) and the beasties less inclined to burrow in (cardboard not as tempting?).  Didn't look lovely to start with, but then it doesn't when there are bits trying to fall out, and since the shiny stuff was all round the outside, it was dead easy (for me) to pick out.

Oh yes - do you have the dried cat food boxes?  The fox digs the cardboard from them out - it has to be buried deep so he cant smell it.

[solway cropper]

The shiny paper and board is coated with barium sulphate and china clay among other things. It may also be varnished to give a gloss surface. The varnish will contain various hydrocarbons and solvents. I tend not to compost such material but ordinary printed matter is OK. The inks used on food packaging are quite harmless so use these if you are at all worried.

[Trillium]

Knew there was a good reason why I put all my shiny paper stuff into the recycle box  I don't even burn it in the woodstove.

[gsc]

Thanks everyone.  I guess the shiny stuff will have to stay off-limits.

[Christine]

But it's fine if you decide to start a bonfire for some reason. Shiny for bonfire, the rest for compost is my rule.

[Ivah]

I compost everything except the ones where you can peel off the shiny layer as a thin sheet of plastic, typical example is toothpaste tube boxes (environmental note, why do they need a box?). The most annoying stuff is the ticker tape you produce from window envelopes that aren't cellophane but I don't think it does any harm. Like others I just pick out obvious pieces like tape and labels off boxes when I am using the compost and put them on the bonfire pile. I don't believe any chemicals involved can be significant.

[gsc]

Ha - you can be sure if I start a bonfire my neighbour will complain to the council