Proper disposal of damaged items

[StEligius_fan]

Is there anywhere I can find some strict guidelines about what severely damaged or ruined religious items and books can be thrown away? Books with long missing pages and covers, paper prayer tracts stained, sticky and liquid damaged, old calendars, etc. Obviously, blessed items are not thrown away, but I have found fragments of rosaries that probably can’t be repaired because the beads are long missing. I’m cleaning out some of my in-laws things and stuff my toddlers got ahold of. I seem to have heard some items need to be buried or burned such as if it has icons, but what about illustrations? As I cannot keep everything, I need to know what can be thrown away and what needs to be respectfully destroyed through proper burial or burning.

 

[Zonell]

I’m also curious about this.

 

[Bonnie]

Books with long missing pages and covers, paper prayer tracts stained, sticky and liquid damaged, old calendars, etc. Obviously, blessed items are not thrown away, but I have found fragments of rosaries that probably can’t be repaired because the beads are long missing.

All of these things can simply be disposed of. If you feel it’s disrespectful to just toss them, tear them in half, but it sounds as if they are already damaged. Beads from a broken rosary are just beads. If the beads are nice ones, they can be re-purposed if you or someone you know does bead work, but plastic just toss.

eta: The only source I have for this is my husband, a laicized priest. It’s just common sense.

 

[Beryllos]

Even if it was blessed, I don’t see a problem with simply throwing any of these articles away, concealed in a bag or box if you don’t want neighbors to get the wrong idea. Paper and plastic items could be recycled.

 

[pensmama87]

We have always burned or buried blessed items, and disposed of non-blessed items in the regular trash or recycling as appropriate.

 

[PopePiusXIISupp]

Even if it was blessed, I don’t see a problem with simply throwing any of these articles away, concealed in a bag or box if you don’t want neighbors to get the wrong idea. Paper and plastic items could be recycled.

No. If you throw away a blessed sacramental it is sacrilege. It must either be burned or buried. There is an old tradition where on the vigil of St. John the Baptist where old books (missals specifically)and sacramentals were burned and the ashes were mixed with water to bless the sick with. Blessed candles must be burned all the way/burned in an unblessed candle or buried. Plastic rosaries and statues must be buried since you can’t burn plastic.