Composting Newspaper: Turn Daily Papers into Garden Carbon

If you receive newspapers regularly, you've likely wondered: "Can you compost newspaper?" It seems wasteful to throw so much away. Let's examine newspaper in compost—acceptable or not?

Can You Compost Newspaper?

Yes. Newspaper is "brown" compost material, adding carbon. But follow these guidelines:

Tips for Composting Newspapers

First: never throw in bundles. Shred first. Composting needs oxygen—bundles create moldy messes, not rich compost.

Maintain even brown/green mix. Since newspaper is brown, balance with equal green material.

Ink concerns: Today's newspaper inks are 100% non-toxic—both black/white and color. Ink in compost won't harm you.

Follow these rules and newspapers will green your garden while lightening landfill load.