Recycling notebooks, files and folders

10.10.00am GMT Tue 9th Mar 2010

Recycle every part of a notebook

It's mostly paper, but those metal bits need some extra effort.

Some notebooks have that fiddly spiral hinge. The hinge will usually unravel and straighten quite easily. Then try rolling it into a ball and use in the garden as wire or for hanging pictures. Then separate the cardboard backing from the paper and recycle in the normal way.

Files with their metal clips are mostly suitable for a cardboard recycling scheme, as are box files or hard-backed files. Removing the metal from a box or hard-backed file can be a challenge! The metal clips and other metalware can either be immersed in water, left to rust (rust on steel will start in 3-5 hours) and ultimately will disintegrate sufficiently to be composted. Chromed surfaces are best scratched to expose the base metal before immersion in water. Metals can also be treated as scrap metal (most primary recycling stations will take scrap metal) or reused for fun. Endless hours of enjoyment can be had by children making necklaces out of paperclips, for example.

Charity shops will sometimes take files and folders in good condition.