Ohoopee Girl
Newly Registered
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Oct 07, 2008 4:28 pm
Location: Ellenwood, GA

Are paper plates okay?

Hi!
I'm not exactly a newbie to composting but I haven't done it in many years (been living in a city where bins are frowned upon) and have a question.

I noticed that it's okay to put cardboard egg cartons & paper towel tubes in the pile, but what about paper plates? I mean the plain white ones, not the ones with color on them. I use the plain ones when we go on picnics and we mostly eat sandwiches. Would these be okay to put on the pile if I shred them up a bit first?

Thanks for your advice!

cynthia_h
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 7500
Joined: Tue May 06, 2008 7:02 pm
Location: El Cerrito, CA

They're probably fine! :)

I attended an Earth Day work "party" for my city last April. They had us put the paper plates from our provided lunch into the compost containers, along with the cornstarch-based flatware, fruit peels, grape stems, etc.

Depending on how long you're willing to wait for the compost, shredding may not even be necessary.

Since I'm not willing to wait indefinitely and cannot get hot temps in my bin, I shred my cardboard, paper, etc.

Cynthia H.
USDA Zone 9, Sunset Zone 17

rot
Greener Thumb
Posts: 728
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2008 1:15 am
Location: Ventura County, CA, Sunset 23

Some people like being able to pull out the thin sheets of plastic out of their finished compost after those waterproof paper plates disappear.

astevn816
Full Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 1:35 pm

Paper plates are fine for the compost bin. Also you may consider toilet paper and paper towel center rolls.

eadunphy
Full Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:27 pm
Location: Middletown, NJ

Hi there - I use Chinets paper plates. They are made from 100% recycled materials and they're biodegradable. They don't contain chlorine bleach, so you can toss those used plates in your compost bin, where they will break down in about sixty days. I do rip them up before I put them in my compost pail and before they reach the compost bin.

These plates can be purchased at Costco here in NJ and between the cost savings there and the compostability I give these plates a big thumbs up!!

Happy Composting :D



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