Adding toilet paper to an existing compost pile or bin is a great way to recycle it. Toilet paper is a rich source of carbon. Compost piles need both carbon-rich, or brown, and nitrogen-rich, or green, materials to break down material effectively. The ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio in a compost pile by volume is two to one. While your compost pile needs a considerable amount of carbon, it should not make up more than two-thirds of your compost or it will not reach optimal decomposition temperatures.
- Skill level:
- Easy
Instructions
Things you need
- Scissors
- Shovel
- Water
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1
Tear rolls of toilet paper into individual squares before adding them to the compost pile. Cut the cardboard toilet paper tube into small strips. Add used toilet paper to the pile as is.
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2
Add the toilet paper to the top of the pile.
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3
Add nitrogen-rich material such as green plant trimmings, household fruit and vegetable waste, or grass clippings, to the pile if necessary to maintain the pile's two to one carbon to nitrogen ratio.
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4
Turn the compost. Use a shovel or other large implement to stir and lift the material so that material that was on the bottom is now in the middle or top of the pile.
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5
Check the pile's moisture level in 24 hours. Grab a handful of compost. It should be about as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Toilet paper is quite absorbent and may dry out your pile. If the pile is too dry, add a few cups of water, turn and test the moisture level again. Repeat until it reaches the appropriate moisture level.
