CAN YOU COMPOSE PAPER TOWELS? 

Every household in America and various countries requires paper towels on a daily basis. Life’s work come to an abrupt halt without them. If your household has pets and kids, you would find it extremely difficult to function without them.

If you find yourself always in search of browns and greens to add to your pile then let me tell you that paper towels are considered under greens by many. Now you’re clear off what greens include here is a list, tea bags, coffee filters, coffee grounds, grass clippings, food scraps, fresh leaves, etc. Green materials consist of nitrogen content.

Brown materials are pruning clippings, pine needles, straw, hay, and dry leaves. They consist of carbon content. So, if you’re wondering, can you compost paper towels then let me tell you it is not just an answer to be given in yes/ no, it’s a tad complicated.

Composting is nothing but breaking down all the organic materials through a biological process and the end materials are rich and also called black gold. Compost is an excellent amendment to the soil. When we compost all our organic materials, we are reducing the methane gases in our environment. But when it comes to discussing if paper towels can be composted then there’s always a dilemma about it because we use these towels for many things at home. The answer depends on what you using it for. 

Now if you using your paper towels in your kitchen most of the time, we utilize them there to absorb water. Since paper towels are constructed from cellulose fibers making it very simple for various bacteria to break down these materials. Suppose the compost pile does not have sufficient paper or cardboard in such a situation you can then add kitchen towels it will help to balance the moisture within the bin. 

The issue with paper towels is that they tend to restrict the airflow because the same material that absorbs sufficient water restricts the flow of air. Paper towels increase moisture in the compost and also begins the process of decomposition many times speeding process. Always avoid throwing large pieces of paper towels in the compost bin because the moment they absorb the moisture they create an issue with regards to airflow. Many times, larger pieces also tend to and agree on issues of waterlogging in the pile. That’s why I always recommend avoiding kitchen napkins that are constructed from cellulose fibers. You should also avoid using them as an alternative two shredded paper. However, you could recycle the cord that is made from cardboard by shredding it in small pieces. 

And finally, I always recommend that you should avoid using the paper towels that you have recently used to clean grease, chemical residue cleaning oil heating oil. These substances will restrict the airflow within the bin creating space for all the anaerobic bacteria. Try and use paper towels that were utilized to clean the dry mess, pieces that were used to wipe the dishes all your hands dry, and surface is that or free of chemicals.

Always be sure to add paper towels that are free from chemicals and follow the guidelines that were mentioned in this article. All the best! 

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