[oakridge]

Because Christine still does bookkeeping for two small companies and two charities we have to shred quite a large quantity of confidential material.  I use this as a layer on the compost heap and it seems very effective.  Recently two people have commented that I should not use anything with ink on it which my shreddings clearly do.  Now I reckon that the 'bad' part of total compost must be a minute percentage and I haven't killed anybody yet.

What do you think?

Malcolm

[cadalot]

lets think about it a little, how many used bits of paper do not have print on them?

I shred all bills and junk mail as long as it isn't glossy, and at the end of a job when I archive I shred the file. I also shred toilet rolls which compost down really nicely. 

[Fairy Plotmother]

I agree with Cadders!

[Eblana]

Once it isn't glossy or the windows from window envelopes it goes in my compost.

[mumofstig]

I read that modern inks aren't toxic, so no need to worry 

[moose]

Agree with mum. I'm led to believe that most inks are veg extract based, just avoid the glossy ones.

[oakridge]

Thank you all for your helpful replies.  I don't do glossy papers and the shredder does not like newspaper.  I do do toilet roll middles and cartons.  We produce about one black bin bag a month.

Malcolm

[ARPoet]

When i had the lottie i used to get sacks of shredded paper (FREE) from an accountants. I mixed it with hos muck (FREE), spent hops(FREE) and all the kitchen and garden waste i could lay my hands on. It was a great soil improver after a year or so.
Now i grow at home i do the same but on a smaller scale.

[lettice]

Do not really have much junk mail or bills these days to shred, all online now.
But do put cardboard packaging with just a quick tear into six inch strips and put loo rolls in whole, they soon get broken down in the compost.

[oakridge]

If tha can get owt for nowt, grab it.  A dairy farmer friend retired in 2004 and borrowed my little 25hp tractor to clean out his listed bier (perhaps not the correct spelling) and in return he brought me 12 tractor loads of cow muck which kept me going for quite some time.
This same friend has recently bought 19 top fruit trees and then realised that he cannot really plant all those at an old folks bungalow so they are now planted out in my yard.  They are looking very well and he is pleased that they will receive good care.

I have just been told about your post Lettice.  One of the people Christine does bookkeeping for sells car roof boxes and they themselves come in large cardboard boxes so I put these down on the ground and cover with the copious amounts of strimmings which makes a good mulch.

Malcolm