Shredding paper is not only a safe and secure way of preventing valuable information from getting into the hands of the wrong people. It is also a great way to contribute to helping the environment. Make sure the paper you are shredding is recycled in the first place!

Document shredding companies will recycle whatever paper they have shredded, allowing your paper to be used again, instead of being sent to landfill. Also, by recycling the shredded paper, you help prevent the destruction of more virgin forest normally used to produce more, non-eco-friendly paper.

And if you don’t use a shredding company, shredded paper can still be put to better use than un-shredded paper. Enough shredded paper can be used as a substitute for Styrofoam peanuts when packing products. Not only is this cost-effective, but the shredded paper is less harmful to the environment than Styrofoam or other packaging products.

Shredded paper can also be composted rather than thrown into a landfill. Composting helps break the paper down naturally. And, of course, you can always still recycle the paper yourself. By shredding paper instead of throwing it out, you open up numerous environmentally friendly alternatives to disposing of it rather than simply throwing it in the bin.

Earthworms and other insects do their part digesting and mixing the plant and animal matter together. The result is a layer of organic matter that is known as compost.