Are Napkins and Paper Towels Recyclable?

Napkins and paper towels are easily made from very small, shorter fibers. In fact, they are one of, if not the last, item made from recycled paper before it can’t be recycled again.  Napkins and paper towels are a very low grade of paper.

The grade of paper is determined by fiber length, which shortens after each trip through the recycling process. After being recycled five to seven times, the fibers become too short to make new paper and will need to be mixed with new, un-recycled fibers.

Items that are prime for recycling are also generally required to be free of food residue. Napkins and paper towels, by nature, tend to be full of food residue.  If not used to wipe up food, these absorbent, disposable towels are used for all kinds of messes, usually of a sticky, gooey, or liquid nature.

Since food, grease, and other impurities contaminate and impair the integrity of a recycling load, napkins and paper towels aren’t suitable to be considered a recyclable item and are not accepted by Borden Waste-Away and most other recycling centers. 

If you are not a Borden customer, check with your local recycling center to see if napkins and paper towels are accepted with your recycling.

Regardless of who your trash provider is you can compost napkins and paper towels at home.  Using cloth napkins and washable rags to clean up messes will dramatically cut down on the amount of napkins and paper towels you use and reduce your carbon footprint.

For more information on recyclable items visit www.wasteawaygroup.com.