For anyone who’s ever wondered, “Can paper towels be composted?”, the answer is a resounding yes.
In fact, paper towels are a good material to add your compost pile.
They break down quickly and help aerate the pile, which speeds up the composting process. Keep reading to learn more about composting paper towels.
Paper towels cab be composted and added to your compost heap. Shred the towels up before adding to the heap and never use towels that have been used to clean up chemical or similar spillages. They will take 2 to 6 months to break down into compost.
Why compost paper towels?
Paper towels are made from wood pulp, which means they’re mostly composed of carbon.
And when it comes to composting, carbon is king.
That’s because carbon-rich materials help balance out all the green, nitrogen-rich materials in your compost pile (think kitchen scraps and grass clippings).
Adding paper towels to your compost helps ensure that your pile has the right ratio of carbon to nitrogen, which is key to creating rich, nutrient-dense compost.
How to compost paper towels
Composting paper towels is easy.
Just tear them into small pieces and add them to your compost pile or bin along with other organic materials like kitchen scraps, leaves, and lawn clippings.
You can also use them as mulch around your plants. Just lay a few sheets over the soil surface and top with some shredded leaves or bark chips.
The paper towels will help block weeds while they break down and release nutrients into the soil.
Things to be aware of when composting paper towels
Shredding or tearing the paper towel into smaller pieces will help it break down faster.
Avoid using bleached or dyed paper towels, as the chemicals used in the bleaching/dyeing process can be harmful to plants.
If you’re using paper towels that have been used to clean up oil or grease, make sure to thoroughly rinse them before adding them to the compost pile – or don’t add them at all.
Avoid using paper towels that have been treated with chemical fragrances or other chemicals.
How long does it take for a paper towel to become compost
It often depends on the heat of your compost bin and the time of year.
Typically a paper towel will take anywhere from 2 to 6 months to decompose.
Final Words
Paper towels are a great addition to any compost pile.
Not only do they help balance out the carbon to nitrogen ratio, but they also break down quickly and help aerate the pile.
Just be sure to shred them up before adding them to the compost, and avoid using bleached or chemically-treated paper towels.
With a little care, your paper towels will be composted in no time.
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