Never thought to use it under composting materials - although it certainly invites worms. Most of what I've shredded is added to the worm bins. We have a lot of citrus peels to dispose of, and it is a great way to do so. It also helps to get rid of falling fruit - from wind falls, etc., so that it doesn't have to go into the garbage. I did use the glossy stuff - but decided it takes longer to decay - and worms prefer the rougher kind of paper, without too much color. (OK - so some of us prefer steak-too). Thank you for comments. I'll continue to monitor the paper in the growing veggie boxes, to see if it is feasible to continue or not. Perhaps the hay would work better - that is a thought for the future. Bejay

I had a yard or so of shredded copy paper and, just on a lark, I decided to dig it in to a groundcover (Oriental Jasmine) bed that was recovering from the drought two years ago. I'll probably excavate the bed in six months or so, and see what happened to it. I would suggest that you layer it with fill dirt. Otherwise the paper will just compact into something pretty impermeable. I do that digging in regularly with fall leaves in my vegetable bed, and the loam you eventually get is awesome. I probably should shred the leaves first, but I don't bother. Shredded white paper would be functional as a top mulch, I guess, but you're going to litter the whole neighborhood when the wind picks up.

That's exactly what I do along with adding a handful of leaves or sticks if I have them. I use 2 plastic garbage cans with holes punched and lids on for all my kitchen waste to keep critters out and use open bins for yard waste. I have had a tendency to let those cans get just a bit garbag-y because I hate to take up too much space with "browns" and run out of space for kitchen waste, but after awhile I find that if I add the right amount of paper and cardboard it stays fluffier and breaks down faster so that I can keep adding about as much or more anyway. Don't forget used paper towels & napkins, paper towel or TP rolls (just tear them into a few pieces). Although it fills it up faster, I add small amounts of these items to my kitchen countertop scrap container (usually grab the things that are right at hand generated in the kitchen or nearby, rather than putting these items aside for later or making another trip outside) because then there is already starting to be a green/brown mixture and they absorb moisture from the kitchen scraps.

The Bottom Line  Newspaper and cardboard sheet mulches can be effective for annual beds if they are properly maintained.  Sheet mulches can prevent water movement and gas exchange if they are too wet or too dry.  Use site-appropriate mulch materials. Permanent, ornamental landscapes, non-maintained sites, and restoration areas are not appropriate locations for newspaper and cardboard sheet mulches. Here is a link that might be useful: The Myth of Paper-Based Sheet Mulch