How to Make Money Recycling Paper (Including Shredded Paper)

Lots of products we use every day can be brought to recycling centers. While some recycling centers charge money for dropping things off, others will pay you cash for doing so.

I’m sure you know someone who collects aluminum cans for recycling. Or you’ve seen the ads on Craigslist offering to pick up your scrap metal for free.

Running a recycling business can bring in some nice extra cash, especially if you’re recycling scrap metal or aluminum. Some companies will also pay you to bring in paper products for recycling.

Now, you’re not going to get rich by recycling paper. In fact, the average pay for paper recycling equals out to $50 to $75 per ton. Getting a steady income from recycling paper is probably not going to happen. If you’re looking for a steady income, you might want to try recycling wood pallets instead.

Why Should I Try to Make Money Recycling Paper?

While the extra cash may be nice, you may have another motive for recycling paper.

According to the EPA, paper products were responsible for over a quarter of the U.S.’s annual waste. By the numbers, we’re talking about over 67 million tons of paper potentially heading to landfills (before recycling).

Do you love going outside and viewing the trees, walking in the woods, or having wood products at home? If so, you can help regenerate and preserve those trees by helping more paper products get recycled.

Recycled paper is used to make more paper products. This means fewer trees must be destroyed to get the paper and cardboard products we need. So, while the money may be an added bonus, you might find other motivators for helping more paper get recycled.

How to Make Money Recycling Paper

If you’re interested in recycling paper, whether for cash or the environment, here are four steps.

1. Find Recycling Centers Near You

The first step to making money by recycling paper is to find recycling centers near you that pay for paper. It’s often easy to find recycling centers that pay for aluminum or let you recycle glass bottles for cash.

Finding a recycling center that will pay you cash to recycle paper might take more legwork. Start by doing an Internet search like “recycle paper near me”. You should be able to populate a list of nearby recycling centers. Once you get a list of local recycling centers, you’ll need to peruse their websites for more information. Some recycling centers charge to drop items off, and others will pay you.

It’s important to note that not all recycling centers accept all types of materials. Some focus on certain products, such as scrap metal. Other recycling centers accept a range of products. Look through each center’s website or call directly if you have to. Find the centers near you that pay for paper drop-off.

It’s important to know that each paper recycling center may have varying rules on the types of paper it accepts. While one may only accept corrugated cardboard, another may only accept newspapers and magazines.

This is why it’s essential to research via phone and the Internet before you go. You don’t want to waste time visiting the various centers to discover that they don’t accept all types of paper.

Note: It could also help to check out paper companies. Some paper production companies may be willing to pay you to bring recyclable paper in.

2. Collect Paper Products to Bring to the Center

You can start collecting once you’ve compiled a list of which recycling centers or paper companies accept which paper products. There are a variety of places you can get paper to recycle.

For instance, you can get paper products right from your own home. You can also collect from neighbors, family, friends, or your workplace, provided you get permission beforehand.

Local private or public schools may also allow you to collect their paper products for recycling. Start making calls to places and people you know that have recyclable paper.

Check with neighbors who get a daily paper or friends and family members who get a lot of deliveries. They might have a pile of cardboard boxes they want to get rid of. Talk with loved ones who get a lot of magazines delivered to their homes.

Collect based on what types of paper the recycling centers you’ve found want and which types pay the most cash. This will help make collecting and recycling paper worth your efforts.

3. Sort Paper Products into the Right Groups

It is important to sort paper products into appropriate groups. Most recycling centers will pay by weight and will not let you bring in a pile of miscellaneous paper products.

Instead, they will want each type of paper they accept sorted into specific groups. The cardboard goes into one group, but corrugated cardboard (the kind with the ridges in the middle layer) may have to be in a separate group.

Newspapers, magazines, and plain printing paper will all likely have to go in their own groups. The more sorted and organized you are with your paper, the easier it will be to get your cash.

4. How To Make Money With Shredded Paper

Sell your shredded paper to vendors who sell ceramics. They may use shredded paper at the bottom of the box to protect the ceramics from breaking.

You can also look for local companies that ship fragile products that need packing materials. Your shredded paper might be just what they need to protect those items at a reasonable price.

5. Get Your Cash!

Okay, you know which center pays the best for which paper products. And you’ve got everything collected and sorted by type of paper. Now it’s time to head to the recycling center to get your money.

Be sure to check ahead of time for the days and hours of operation. And go with plenty of time to spare. It takes a while to have the paper weighed and for the operator to be sure you’ve sorted properly.

After you drop off the paper, you’ll get paid in one of two ways. Either they’ll pay you on the spot, or some centers mail a check. You should get a receipt listing the weight of your paper right away, though.

Now you can use that money to put toward debt, save for a vacation, or have some extra fun money. While you won’t get rich from recycling paper, that extra cash may be able to be used for something fun.

More Side Hustle Ideas for Bigger Cash Payouts

While I don’t recycle much for cash, I can tell you that side hustling has changed my life. After years of struggling for income, I now earn a large portion of my family’s income from side hustling.

Last year alone, I made over $25,000 by doing the right types of side hustles. Here are some of my favorite side hustle ideas for bringing in serious cash.

Summary

Recycling paper can be a great option if you want to help the environment and earn extra money. You won’t make a full-time living, but it can be a decent option to earn some money on the side.

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