"1. I've read that it's OK to compost office paper, paper plates, etc. These are usually bleached and contain who knows what other chemicals. Are these really safe to compost?"

That it was bleached does not mean that it still has bleach in it. The bleach was used to whiten the paper and is long gone. There may be other chemicals, but I'd be surprised if there are any that are dangerous, and if there are, I doubt if they would still be dangerous after composting.

"2. Is newspaper always OK, or do I need to check that my particular newspaper is printed with soy-based ink?"

I usually recycle newspaper, but I wouldn't be concerned about composting it. Soy based inks are much cheaper than alternatives and newspapers are cutting costs wherever they can, so it would be rare to find a newspaper that doesn't use soy based ink. If you're concerned, call the newspaper office.

"3. I know cardboard rolls need to be shredded. How do you do this? Electric shredder somehow? Scissors? Rip apart with bare hands?"

I didn't know cardboard rolls need to be shredded. They'll decompose faster if they are, but they'll still decompose if they aren't. If you shred them, I don't think it matters how you do it, but few of the low end electric shredders would work for very long if fed a steady diet of cardboard rolls.

compost all paper products

You don't have to shred anything not even large boxes they just fall apart when wet

1. The bleaching process does not bleach the paper it bleaches the wood pulp the paper is made from, and is washed out of that pulp before it is sent to the paper machine to be formed into a sheet of paper. There is one process that does use Chlorine but there is another process that uses Hydrogen Peroxide, but in both the bleaching agent is washed out of the pulp.
2. Because of economics most every newspaper today uses soya based inks when printing that newspaper. Some of the glossy ad inserts will use metalic inks, but not your daily, or even weekly, newspaper.
3. How to shred anything depends on what you have to shred them and how much you have to shred. A couple of cardboard rolls a week can be ripped apart by hand, while several hundred may well require a machine.

When rain is scarce and I need to water the garden, then I know the compost is dry also. So, I take any cardboard boxes I have and thrown them on the compost or the garden bed and soak them with the hose. Then they rip up easily into a few pieces and can be mixed into the compost more easily, and the compost has been wetted also. Or sometimes I throw a box outside when it is raining and when the rain is over I rip up the box. I rip my boxes a couple of times since I have a 3x3x3 plastic composter which would not accomodate larger cardboard boxes.

Hey Mustard ---I like that idea ---wet boxes much easier to deal with--

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful replies!