Can you recycle tissues and kitchen roll?

Used tissues, kitchen roll and napkins cannot be recycled: they are usually contaminated, and the fibres are too short to be pulped again. Put them in general waste. Some councils allow food-soiled (not chemical-soiled) kitchen roll in the food waste caddy or home compost — check locally. Never recycle anything used with cleaning sprays.

Tips

• Kitchen roll used only on food can often go in the food caddy
• Unused, clean sheets still can't be recycled — fibres are too short

Which bin does it go in?

General waste (or food caddy/compost in some areas if only food-soiled)

Before throwing it away, see reuse, repair and donation routes.

Background: The 10 recycling mistakes that ruin lorry-loads.

Also searched as: paper towels, napkins, serviettes.