Construction Paper Paper Recycling No Glitter & Glue A piece of construction paper that’s covered with lots of glitter, glue, and/or paint contains too many contaminants to go through the paper recycling process. How Small Is Too Small? Sometimes small bits of paper cannot be recycled because they get lost in the recycling process. In general, try to recycle everything receipt-sized or larger. Shredded paper is too small and should be thrown away. Did You Know? Why Shredded Paper Can Be Hard to Recycle Shredding a piece of paper shortens its fibers, which reduces its value. Shredded paper is almost too small to be useful to recyclers. It’s possible for shredded paper to contaminate the recycling process by slipping past the paper-making screens.