Get rid of your trowel!

Foxster

Foxster

Section Hiker
Didn't the western countries switch to soy-based inks quite a long time ago making mulching or other such uses of printed paper OK?

Edit: Just did a quick Google and looks like this is right for newspapers. Might be a different case for coloured and glossy paper.
 
Bmblbzzz

Bmblbzzz

Thru Hiker
Back in the early '90s I had a flatmate who worked for a book printers. I asked him the very same, though in a different context, and he said most of the inks were vegetable-based. But glossy paper is itself often coated in plastic, so that's a no, but newspaper and similar should be fine.
 
cathyjc

cathyjc

Thru Hiker
Bmblbzzz said:
Back in the early '90s I had a flatmate who worked for a book printers. I asked him the very same, though in a different context, and he said most of the inks were vegetable-based. But glossy paper is itself often coated in plastic, so that's a no, but newspaper and similar should be fine.
Click to expand...

Yes, glossy paper and card (beware of B'day and chrissy cards !!) can be a PITA. The cellulose breaks down leaving lots wee bits of plastic in the compost - which need picking out.
I'm much more careful checking what coated card and paper I use now.
I'd love to see such plastic coated card/paper 'discontinued' - if it's not in my compost it's in landfill - and often it's only used for cosmetic reasons not because it's necessary. Toothpaste boxes are one of the worst in this category :mad:.
 
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Rmr

Section Hiker
cathyjc said:
Yes, glossy paper and card (beware of B'day and chrissy cards !!) can be a PITA. The cellulose breaks down leaving lots wee bits of plastic in the compost - which need picking out.
I'm much more careful checking what coated card and paper I use now.
I'd love to see such plastic coated card/paper 'discontinued' - if it's not in my compost it's in landfill - and often it's only used for cosmetic reasons not because it's necessary. Toothpaste boxes are one of the worst in this category :mad:.
Click to expand...
Some good points there, will have to think a little more about future purchases
 
Bmblbzzz

Bmblbzzz

Thru Hiker
Yup, second that (should that be third that?). Paper is paper, keep the plastic off it. Didn't know toothpaste boxes had plastic coating. Hard to avoid toothpaste.
 
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