Got a stockpile of used books and magazines collecting dust? Although we always think of donating books, sometimes this may not be the best answer. Some books, like textbooks, are so out of date they are no use to anyone anymore. Other books may be damaged or lovingly read so often they are falling apart at the seams literally! Then there are the books that were so popular that everyone has a copy. Can you recycle books, you ask! Yes, absolutely you can.
Read on to know more about recycling books and why it is helpful.
What are Books Made of?
Books are made of different types of coated and uncoated paper and come in different sizes and weights. The type of paper used depends on the type of book. For instance, paperback book covers are made from a thin paper stock compared with hardback book covers made from a durable cardboard stock.
The most common types of paper used include:
- Machine-finished coated paper: This paper is mostly used in paperback books. It is made from 60–85% groundwood and 15–40% chemical pulp.
- Woodfree uncoated paper: This paper is manufactured using wood from which the lignin is removed.
- Coated fine paper or woodfree coated paper: This paper is generally used for offset printing, where the ink is rolled onto the surface rather than transferred directly onto the paper.
Why Should You Recycle Old Books?
In America, around 320 million books are sent to landfills annually.
Yet, according to the EPA, making 1 ton of paper from recycled paper saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 7000 gallons of water, and 60 pounds of air pollutants.
Give Your Old Books a Second Life
It is best to exhaust all the reuse options before you need to recycle your old books. So if your books are in good condition and likely to be used by others, then consider these options:
- Sell them or give them away online: You can sell your used books online or give them away for free. Some options to do this are Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org.
- Donate them to your local library: Books that are in good condition can be donated to your local library. Some libraries also accept educational magazine donations.
- Donate them to a local charity: Donate your used books to a Goodwill, Salvation Army, or other local charity. You can find a local charity in your area by visiting Greatnonprofits.
- Repurpose them: Books that aren’t in great shape and can’t be donated can be used to make gift tags or envelopes. Punch or cut out the tags and use a dark marker to write a message on them. You can make unique envelopes from these pages to put in a birthday card. Let your creativity flow.
How to Properly Recycle Books
Many curbside recycling services will accept books as mixed paper. Learn more about recycling paper and cardboard in your curbside recycling bin.
Some recyclers will take both paperback and hardback books, while others may only take paperbacks. Some will require the binding to be removed, while others will accept whole books as they are. It is always a good idea to contact your local recycling authority to check if they have specific instructions on what they accept and what they don’t.
Below are a few tips to keep in mind before tossing your books in the recycling bin.
Can You Recycle Hardcover Books?
For hardcover books, it’s better to remove the binding and cover because they might have elements that are not made from paper. Any other unwanted material like dust jackets or bookmarks should be removed and disposed of separately.
Throw any hardcover books that have gotten wet or have papers turned tan or brown into your general trash bin. These can no longer be recycled.
Can You Recycle Paperback Books?
You can usually recycle whole paperback books with the binding. For magazines, you don’t need to remove staples, cardstock ads, or anything else inside the magazine. You can recycle them with the cover and binding.
As with hardcover books, throw any books that have gotten wet or have papers turned tan or brown into your general trash bin. The paper can no longer be recycled.
Can You Recycle Textbooks?
It’s worth first trying to donate your old textbooks to your local school or second-hand bookshop. Unfortunately, textbooks can become out of date quite fast. In this situation, you can recycle them just like hardcover books. If you remove the binding, they can generally go into your curbside bin but be sure to check with your local authority just in case.
Other Ways To Reduce Your Impact
There are some other great ways you can reduce your impact by changing the way you use books. Here are some simple ways you can do so:
Read e-books
Many readers feel no difference between holding a good book in their hand and reading from an e-book. In fact, e-books are slightly more sustainable than paper books. If you are an avid reader, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by reading e-books.
Borrow books and e-books from a library
If you don’t enjoy reading e-books and prefer to read actual books, you can borrow them from your library. That way, they don’t go to waste after you’re done. You may even be able to borrow e-books from your library.
Buy secondhand books
Used books are more affordable than new hardcovers. You can buy them online or try websites like Freecycle.org.
Buying from a used bookstore is a great alternative to buying new books online. By going to a used bookstore, you will be supporting small, independent businesses and stimulating your local economy. If you don’t have a used bookstore near you, you can always buy online—both eBay and Amazon list second-hand books, for example.
Swap your finished books
Consider swapping your finished books with someone else through a local or online book swap organization. This is especially great if you’re someone who reads a book just once. Some examples are Paperback swap in the USA, Read it swap in the UK, or Book Mooch, an international site.
The Wrap
Donating your old books gives them a new purpose without making you feel guilty about throwing them away. However, if your old books have seen better days and are not in great condition, it is better to consider recycling them. This is good because it means charity stores only get good quality items that they can sell or give away instead of rubbish they must dispose of.
Learn more about recycling paper and paper products:
- How to recycle shredded paper
- Can you recycle receipts?
- How to Recycle Paper and Cardboard
- Can you recycle cardboard egg cartons?
Sources
- Laura S. Hickey and Kristy M. Jones, 2012, A Research Study on Textbook Recycling in America
- EPA, 2016, Wastes – Resource Conservation – Common Wastes & Materials – Paper Recycling
