Those little cardboard rolls that come in toilet paper and paper towels. It seems like such a waste. When we finish the toilet paper or the paper towel, we throw out the rolls. Can you compost toilet paper rolls? Let’s check that out (because you can.)
What a Toilet Paper Roll or Paper Towel Roll is Made Of
Normally, the roll in the middle of toilet paper or paper towels (they’re basically the same) is cardboard. Sometimes, it’s just plain brown cardboard. Once in a while, it’s white. If that’s the case, it’s compostable like other cardboard.
These are a great source of browns for your compost bin, meaning they are high in carbon. This will help offset the greens you add and ensure you have the right material for your compost.
How to Compost Toilet Paper or Paper Towel Rolls
Like other materials, we want to make the pieces of the paper towel or toilet paper roll smaller. This will help them compost faster.
Cut the Roll Up
The first thing you want to do is to cut the roll into smaller pieces. We have two different recommendations:
- Cut the roll in half so that you can lay it flat. Then, using scissors, cut the roll into half-inch strips.
- Or, if you don’t want to use scissors, the roll usually has a crease, allowing you to peel it into one long strip. Then, you can rip up the strip into smaller pieces.
Just like anything else that we compost, the smaller the better. Smaller pieces have more surface area and that means more area to contact the microorganisms, worms, insects, etc that make up your compost pile. This will help them compost more quickly.
Soak The Pieces in Water
You want to soak the pieces in water. This will help them to break up, and it will add some moisture to your compost.
Spread the Pieces Throughout Your Compost
Spread the pieces around on your compost pile or bin. You don’t want them all clumped up, making it more difficult for them to decompose and mix with the greens.
Turn Your Compost
You want to mix up the cardboard pieces into your compost to spread them out and mix them with the greens. This will also help spread out the moisture from the water they soaked up.
If you have a bunch of paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls, don’t mix more than a few in at a time. In general, with composting, too much of a good thing is too much. They won’t go bad, so maybe mix in 3-4 now and a few more in a week or so to keep them from clumping up or throwing your brown-green ratio off.
How Long Does It Take Toilet Paper Rolls to Breakdown?
Paper towel and toilet paper rolls are very sturdy, like other cardboard. Depending on how small the pieces are and how healthy your compost pile is, they can take a while to break down. You can usually expect them to fully break down in 1 to 5 months.
Things To Avoid When Composting Paper Towel or Toilet Paper Rolls
If the roll has come into contact with grease, oil, cleaning products or other chemicals, throw it out. You don’t want these things in your compost pile or, later, in your garden. Best to throw it out.
Make sure that the roll is cardboard. The color isn’t all that important, and manufacturers rarely use other materials. Just make sure before trying to compost it.
Can You Compost Toilet Paper Rolls and Paper Towel Rolls?
You sure can. You want to break them up into small pieces first, soak them in water, and then mix them into your compost. They are a great carbon source and a wonderful way to eliminate one more thing in a landfill!