How to Recycle UV-Coated Paper

UV coating is a clear liquid that is spread over paper then dried by UV light to give the paper durability and a high-gloss shine. However, the UV coating also makes the paper more difficult to recycle. According to the North Carolina Department of Environment, not every recycling center has the capacity to recycle UV-coated paper. In unequipped facilities, when UV-coated paper is pulped with regular paper, the entire batch must be thrown out and cannot be processed any further. To avoid this, make sure the facility can handle UV-coated paper before putting it in the bin.

• 1

  Contact your Municipal Curbside Recycling Program to find out if the recycling center that your paper is taken to accepts UV-coated paper. If it does, simply place the UV-coated paper in the recycling bin with your other recyclable paper products. If your city does not have a curbside recycling program or UV-coated paper is not accepted, proceed to Step 2.

• 2

  Call your State Department of Environmental Quality/Department of Environmental Protection (DEQ/DEP) to discover the closest facility that recycles UV-coated paper.

• 3

  Call the recycling centers near you. Websites such as Recycling Centers.org and Earth 911.com make it easy to search for local facilities by using your ZIP code or address. Call the facilities listed to discover if they can handle UV-coated paper.

• 4

  Deliver the UV-coated paper to the appropriate facility or arrange to have it picked up (some recycling centers offer this option for a fee).