When it comes to activities that produce social good, paper recycling is hard to beat. First, when you recycle paper, you use fewer raw resources. As trees play a large role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, protecting them is important. Second, continuing to recycle produces jobs for those who work in the field.

If you're going to recycle paper correctly, it's worth following certain tips. When you know how to approach the task, you can ensure the items you recycle are fit for use.

Avoid recycling paper that's dirty

Although it's tempting to throw every piece of paper into your recycling bin, don't put it in there if it's dirty. When paper is covered in grease and other such substances, the recycling centre can't break its fibres apart in a way that allows for reuse. When you mix dirty paper in with clean, you may negate the benefits of putting recyclable paper into your bin.

Shred important documents

It's okay to try and recycle important paper documents, but it's worth shedding them for your own benefit. This is especially the case when you're throwing away documents that contain financial and confidential information. If such documents relate to certain work settings, such as healthcare, check with your HR department before choosing to recycle them.

Avoid mixing paper recycling with other items

When you mix paper recyling with items such as plastic and tin, you run the risk of cross contamination. Much like when you try to recycle paper that's covered in dirt, you might find that your efforts go to waste. Additionally, don't mix paper with corrugated cardboard. In most cases, corrugated cardboard is used in the food industry, which means it's too contaminated to dispose of appropriately.

Recognise that you can't recycle kitchen towels

Once a centre breaks apart the synthetic fibres that hold kitchen towels together, it's highly unlikely that they'll be able to reuse them. The same goes for items such as makeup wipes, baby wipes, and toilet paper. You can use kitchen towels as a part of your compost heap, but the rest belong in your general waste disposal. 

Paper recycling is an excellent way for homes and businesses to make a positive contribution towards the environment. If this is an area you're new to, always check whether you can throw each item into your recycling bin. Before long, disposing of items correctly will come naturally to you.