Can I compost those coupons I get in the mail? The non-glossy paper. Almost like newspaper.

Oh, maybe off topic, but can I burn that glossy paper and use the ashes in compost?

I wouldn't. They tend to have a lot of ink on them. You want paper with a minimum of ink, newsprint is ok, but advertising flyers wouldn't be.

The glossy paper has a lot of additives that you don't want in your compost so I wouldn't burn it and add it to the compost.

If not concerns about whats in the ink and coating, think of this: its just refined pure carbon plus that stuff, whereas leaves, weeds, etc has other minerals and nutrients. So it isn't really a great benefit to compost.
I don't think its terribly harmful to compost that or burn it, but neither do I think it's very helpful, if you can find another natural carbon source.

I read soy based inks are fine. Now I just gotta figure out if it is soy based. Is there like a burn test?

After much research and sources. Soy or not. The problem is heavy metals and colors. Black uses carbon, so it is fine. Studies show that gasoline will break down in like 60 days, but these heavy metals are a pain in the behind. Soy is said to be safer and it may be true, but those colors could be risky. Glossy is most likely clay, but those heavy metal buggers are the real issue.

On the plus side. Compost helps with preventing plants from absorbing heavy metals. By 80% with lead cases.

I will be avoiding color and glossy stuff.

permaculturenews.org/2006/04/22/compost-miracles/

If you want a reason why to not compost a thing, somebody will make up nineteen reasons why you should not...

That is true, but the only real thing to watch out for is heavy metals and stinky items like meat. I will keep everything glossy and colored in a bag though. Might be able to do something with it in the future.

I just wish there were burn tests to simply check if it is okay to compost. Do any heavy metals/inks or clay make weird flames? I use burn tests for cloth in order to see what can be composted.

I put ashes from paper and such , a large amount, in a part of the garden some ten years ago and that part of the garden had serious problems.
I would never use ashes that are not wood unless the non-wood part is minuscule.
Now on the other hand, I took the ashes that were this, that and every thing and did throw them on the boulevard that was a sandy weed nest.
Over the years it improved to the point I actually find angle worms when digging weeds.
There were enough ashes to fill a three gallon pail when I tossed them.

Actually, it is said earthworms extract heavy metals.

That may be, but it's not as if they then drive somewhere else and dump it. If their entire life cycle takes place in your yard, I don't see how the metals could have moved much.
I've thrown paper in the fire and seen spurts of odd flame.
There is probably lots of old wives tale info about this topic still out there.

I toss anything glossy or colored into the recycle bin. Packaging material, such as brown paper, cardboard goes out into my compost area. Here's a trick for getting labels and tape off the packing boxes. Let it rain on the cardboard. The tape and labels peel right off. I have tarps on my compost heaps, but I added a layer of cardboard on the top and plan on adding a layer as I build new piles. Appears to be having a positive effect in maintaining moisture better than tarp alone.

Sounds good, thommes.
You do want to peel that tape off. I found more in the garden yesterday, it lasts forever (couple years at least)

Well, my compost go in buckets and bins. So a worm population would be contained and they can be removed. Maybe worm abuse.

I do not bother with planting crops in clay soil and let desert plants grow for compost and food supply. Lots of desert beans and fruits for beer. I never have to water them unless I want larger fruit.

I will be recycling glossy stuff and keeping carbon black until I find a solution.