newpapers

[Colin Miles]

Reading December's issue of KG about 20% recycled paper being good for compost, I am reminded of the time when I dug a trench for my runner beans and lined them with newspapers - as recommended. There was no sign of the newspapers when I dug the patch over after the beans were finished. So it looks as it would be a good idea generally to dig in your newpapers and I am certainly going to do this next year. Mind you, this was on heavy clay. Anyone any thoughts as to it this would work on lighter soils? Can't see why not.

[Monika]

We have always used newspapers (crumpled up rather than in thick wads) in the bottom of the runner bean and sweet pea ttrenches and also put them into the compost bins every so often. They always disappear completely and our soil is reasonably light. So I would certainly try it if I were you.

[Colin_M]

Now that we're encouraged to shred anything confidential, I have a ready supply of shredded paper. After reading that compost ideally needs green and brown (or material including paper) I now add this on a regular basis.

Colin

[Allan]

We shred all the documents with our identity together with non-glossy oddments but it seems environmentally unfriendly to compost large quantities of newspaper IF by putting it in recycling it is made good use of to substitute new material. As is demonstrated in the composting display at C.A.T., it and shredded cardboard have an important part to play in effective composting.
On principle we do not buy newspapers as most of it would not get read and with modern communications anything really important is available in electronic form. As a small recompense we buy puzzle books as a substitute for those in newspapers.
I sometimes wounder about all the inks and fillers in most junk mail but nothing much is said about that and its environmental effects publicly.
I feel it is high time that all the transparent windows in commercial envelopes were made of biodegradeable film of some sort, as it is they survive composting and should not be burnt so I tear them out and compost the rest of the envelope.
Allan

[Plum]

The windows used to be made of cellophane which as a plant material could be composted down. Thee change to plastics altered this of course. As a result of fall in demand for cellophane factory at Bridgewater closed last year.

[madasafish]

We recycle all our kitchen offcuts by placing them in a green bin in the kitchen and periodically emptying onto the outside wormery.
To ease cleaing I always line the bottom of the green bin with newspaper and empty that into the wormery with the contents.

Worms seem to eat newspaper as well as greens cos we never see any when emptying the wormery..

[Colin_M]

As a result of fall in demand for cellophane factory at Bridgewater closed last year.

Not wishing to be glib about people who lost their jobs, but the air around Bridgewater has been much sweeter since the factory closed.

Colin

[Geoff]

Is it my machine or does everybody see Saturday 4th?

Newspapers
New postSat Nov 04, 2006 1:25 am

Edited after posting - it put mine in first with correct time - better check your machine and profile Ian. And Granny in W,P & Ds.

[Beryl]

There is an interesting article in the Dec. isue of TKG about using the waste by product of paper to make compost. (page 6)

Beryl.

[Ian F]

As Monika says, the key thing is to crumple the newspapers up, or shred them. I once buried some newspapers in a thick wodge in my runner bean trench, and could read some of the words when I unearthed them the following season.

[Colin Miles]

Ian,

When I did this I didn't crumple or shred them and they had disappeared at the end of the season. What sort of soil have you got?