Can You Compost Newspaper?
If you get a newspaper every day or week, or even just pick one up sometimes, you might wonder, “Can you compost newspaper?” It seems like a waste to throw away so much paper. Let’s find out if it’s okay to put newspaper in your compost pile and if there are any things to watch out for.
The Short Answer
Yes, you can compost newspaper. It’s considered a “brown” composting material, which means it adds carbon to the compost pile. But there are a few things you need to keep in mind when composting with newspaper.
Tips for Composting Newspaper
- Shred the newspaper first. Compost needs oxygen to work properly. A whole newspaper won’t get enough oxygen inside, and instead of turning into rich, brown compost, it will just turn into a moldy mess.
- Mix newspaper with green composting materials. Newspaper is a brown composting material, so you need to balance it out with green composting materials. Add equal amounts of green compost material to your compost pile along with the shredded newspaper.
- Don’t worry about the ink. The ink used on today’s newspapers is 100% non-toxic, including both black and white and color inks. The ink won’t hurt your compost or the plants you grow with it.
Benefits of Composting Newspaper
- Reduces waste. Composting newspaper helps keep it out of landfills.
- Improves soil health. Compost adds nutrients and organic matter to the soil, which helps plants grow better.
- Saves money. You can use compost instead of buying expensive fertilizers.
How to Compost Newspaper
- Shred the newspaper into small pieces.
- Mix the shredded newspaper with equal amounts of green composting materials, such as grass clippings, food scraps, or manure.
- Add the mixture to your compost pile.
- Turn the compost pile regularly to aerate it.
- Wait until the compost is dark brown and crumbly before using it in your garden.
Troubleshooting
- My compost pile is too wet. Add more brown composting materials, such as shredded newspaper or dry leaves.
- My compost pile is too dry. Add more green composting materials, such as grass clippings or food scraps.
- My compost pile is moldy. Turn the compost pile more often to aerate it. You can also add more brown composting materials to absorb the excess moisture.
- My compost pile smells bad. Add more green composting materials to balance out the browns. You can also turn the compost pile more often to aerate it.
Composting newspaper is a great way to reduce waste, improve soil health, and save money. Just be sure to follow the tips above to ensure that your compost pile is healthy and productive.