Recycled Paper: A Step Towards Sustainability
Introduction
Recycled paper, as the name suggests, is paper that has been reprocessed for reuse. Each year, over 400 million metric tons of paper and cardboard are produced globally, with a significant portion originating from China, the United States, and Japan.Get more news about Recycled Paper,you can vist our website!
The Recycling Process
The process of recycling paper involves several steps. It begins with the collection of waste paper from various sources, including paper mill scraps, discarded paper waste after consumer use, and old newspapers, magazines, and packaging papers.
Once collected, the paper is sorted and transported to a recycling facility. Here, it is shredded and pulped, a process that involves mixing the paper with water and chemicals to break it down into strands of cellulose. This mixture, known as pulp or slurry, is then strained through screens to remove any remaining plastic.
The next step is de-inking, which involves removing the printing ink from the paper fibers. The pulp is then cleaned, bleached, and mixed with water before it is made into new recycled paper.
Benefits of Recycling Paper
Recycling paper has numerous benefits. It saves waste paper from occupying landfill space and producing methane as it breaks down1. Moreover, because paper fiber contains carbon, recycling keeps the carbon locked up for longer and out of the atmosphere.
Recycling paper also saves resources. Each metric ton of recycled paper can save approximately 19 trees, 1,500 liters of oil, 2.68 cubic meters of landfill space, 4,400 kilowatts of energy, and 29,000 liters of water.
Challenges and Future Directions
Despite the benefits, paper recycling faces several challenges. One major issue is that paper fibers shorten each time they are recycled, eventually reaching a point where they can no longer be used. Additionally, not all paper is recovered for recycling. For instance, only 67 percent of paper was recovered in America in 2015.
Moving forward, improving recovery rates and finding ways to extend the life of paper fibers could enhance the sustainability of paper recycling. Achieving a near 100 percent paper recovery and recycling rate could save approximately 2.5 billion trees each year!
Conclusion
Recycled paper plays a crucial role in our efforts towards sustainability. By understanding the process and benefits of paper recycling, we can make more informed choices and contribute to a greener future.
