Whether you work from home or at an office, knowing the correct disposal of common office supplies can help you maintain sustainable practices.

Check out our suggestions for office waste and learn how to help reduce it.

Printer paper

Printer paper is widely accepted for recycling. Plain paper is easily recycled through most recycling programs, whether you have a curbside pick-up or drop-off. Some municipalities may require you to separate out paper for a dual-stream collection system so that paper does not get wet or greasy by mixing with other recyclables.

Plain print or copy paper for your work may contain sensitive information which requires shredding. Each municipality tends to have very specific disposal procedures for shredded paper due to the size of the remnants. In general, items smaller than a credit card should not go in your regular recycling because they are too small to sort correctly. Shredded paper falls into this too small to sort situation, but that does not mean it cannot be recycled! Make sure to look up specific collection or drop-off information for shredded paper in your area.

??Waste Reduction Tip: When only printing or copying on one side, keep paper that is still blank on one side in a pile near your desk to use as scrap paper.

Paper containing staples

So what about paper that has staples? You can rip them out if you'd like, but it's not necessary. These tiny pieces of metal are easily removed during the recycling process with magnets or skimmed out when the paper is turned into a slurry.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Avoid staples altogether by using a stapleless stapler that fastens sheets of paper together by crimping and puncturing them. If you use a lot of staples, think of how much metal you'll avoid using!

Windowed envelopes

We've covered plain paper, but what about envelopes that have adhesives? Or envelopes that have clear plastic windows? Nothing to worry about here either! The adhesives in these envelopes are not a problem during the recycling process. Likewise, the transparent plastic windows are small enough to easily avoid contaminating the paper mix.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Go digital with correspondence and opt for paperless options when dealing with things like bills.

Junk Mail

Junk Mail comes in so many forms: some are easily identifiable as regular copy paper, or even thicker cardstock paper that can be recycled, but what about glossy paper advertisements? Most of these are ok to add to your paper recycling as they tear easily. If they don't tear easily or have a plastic lining, they likely belong in the garbage instead. When in doubt, check with your local municipality's specific guidelines for glossy papers.

If you receive advertisements and coupons printed in a newspaper, these are also accepted tossing in your recycling bin.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Opt-out of advertisements at your local post office to avoid adding to your home or office waste.

Adhesive tapes

Adhesive tapes are not accepted for recycling at most locations. If insignificant amounts of adhesive tape are on a piece of paper or cardboard box, that is not a problem, but it is best to remove large amounts of tape when it is easy to do so to ensure your recyclables are not contaminated.

Plastic disposable tape dispensers and tape rolls are not always accepted for recycling due to their size and the type of plastic they are made from. Check with your local municipality to see if they accept these items.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: Use brown paper tape which pairs adhesives with a paper backing instead of traditional plastic. This may not work for documents, but it is ideal for taping up cardboard boxes and packaging.

Sticky Notes

While there is a small amount of adhesive, sticky notes are typically accepted for recycling, no matter the color. They also are just a bit larger than a credit card, so the size is not an issue.

?? Waste Reduction Tip: There are many apps to keep notes on your phone or computer so that you don't need to use paper.

Understanding the proper disposal methods for common office supplies is crucial for maintaining sustainable practices at home or in the office. It's always important to look up the specific requirements for recycling in your municipality before guessing what is and is not accepted!