If you’re a devoted reader of this blog, you’ve no doubt seen us recommend the use of newspaper in your organic garden—not just as a part of a lasagna garden, but for making seedling pots and as a brown component in compost. Just to clarify, we’re not talking about blank newsprint; even printed newsprint is fine, as long as it’s only black-and-white newsprint. You shouldn’t use the glossy stuff some sales pages are printed on, and avoid color print altogether; the inks may release toxins. But as counter-intuitive as it may seem, the black ink used in most newspapers is fine.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I have been using all the waste paper in our garden but was happy for you to have pointed out to me in your garden post above that color paper is not good as the toxins can run into the soil and harm the soil. I will keep that in mind when I garden.
We find that we have great orchids here in sunny Queensland, Australia, under the trees in our back yard and love sitting on our patio watching the kookoobarras every evening calling to each other.
Thanks.
We have used newspaper and my research had suggested that both black and color ink was okay to use as long as it was on regular newsprint paper; just no shiny papers.
Could you please give a source that says the colored ink on regular newsprint is not okay?
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Thanks for your comment!
You are correct. I think our post is just badly worded. I’ll go back and edit it.
Indeed, colored ink on regular newsprint is just fine. Just skip the glossy stuff.