How to Recycle Paper and Why
Growing global pollution is a problem. New evidence has emerged of the detrimental effects of climate change. Much of the evidence emphasizes the importance of recycling. But some items are easier to recycle than others. Paper itself is unique. It is a product of trees and thus is in part a renewable resource. But that doesn’t mean we can ignore the need to recycle paper. Many businesses rely on massive amounts of paper for day to day operations. Thus we will explore how to recycle paper.
What is Recycling?
Recycling is the process of converting waste into a reusable material. Recycling can involve natural methods including decomposition. But, the process can involve active energy induced components. The energy costs for the reactions involved in recycling can be large. One method of supplying energy is through thermal energy. This involves heating a compound to change its properties. Recycling can also use chemical energy from the reaction between chemicals. An example of chemical use in recycling would be melting solid plastics into a liquid using acid.
Can Paper be Recycled?
Paper is recyclable. You may have done so without knowing it. For example, every time you use accidental prints as scratch paper, you are recycling. You may have also used old newspapers for paper mache or other art projects. Paper is one of the worlds most important materials and thus has a variety of uses.
How Paper is Recycled
Large scale chemical processes enable the recycling of paper. A simple overview of the process by Recycling Guide can be found here. The general process involves paper recycling in mass. The first step involves gathering the paper. The paper gathered undergoes processing into a chemical slurry. The slurry will remove the inks, films, staples, glue, and other compounds from the paper. The paper then undergoes reconstitution. Variation in the process creates the desired final paper product.
An article by Kathryn Sukalich found here goes into great detail about the recycling process and its effects on the resulting product. The process for recycling paper will involve the shredding of the original products. The shredded paper undergoes processing using chemicals, heat, and water into separate fibers. Using filters removes many contaminants from the slurry. The filtrate then has the water removed from it through the rotation of the slurry. Drying racks and exposure to heat facilitates the fibers reforming bonds. The goal is for the fibers to achieve the desired arrangement. This leads to the formation of a recycled paper product.
Are all Paper Products Recyclable?
Not all paper products are recyclable. An article on GoingZeroWaste linked here goes into detail about what you can and can not recycle. Among the paper products that are not recyclable include receipts, photos, parchment paper, and paper cups. The nonrecyclable products have a couple of things in common. The aforementioned products have a coating of plastics and oils necessary for their function. These need special processes to reuse the materials.
Can Paper With Ink be Recycled?
Yes, paper with ink can is recyclable. Utilizing the process mentioned above, the paper can have ink removed. But, the more times a piece of paper undergoes recycling and cleaning, the worse the end result. Thus, there is a max number of times paper is recyclable.
Can Paper Towels Be Recycled?
The short answer is no. An article by Sarah Kramer from Business Insider linked here goes into depth about why you should not recycle paper towels. The problem is that used paper towels will contain microbes and other matters. These extra compounds could contaminate a large batch of recyclables. This would waste time and energy better put toward other green endeavors.
Can Paper Bags be Recycled?
Paper bags are recyclable. But, they may still not be the best alternative to plastic. An article by Douglas Lober linked here goes into detail about why recycling paper bags may not be the best. Part of the problem is that regardless of the process, there is a level of pollution created through mass recycling. Thus, no process is perfect.
The Takeaway
Paper is recyclable up to a certain extent. As with all materials, it can atrophy. Each successive attempt at recycling will cause the material to become weaker. Coating paper with certain materials will prevent it from being recyclable. Thus, paper is recyclable within certain limits.
