paper waste essay

A public agency reducing waste in Alameda County

The Impact of Paper Waste

Financial Costs

The costs of using paper inefficiently in the workplace are too significant to be ignored. The expenses from supplies such as toner and paper, as well as equipment maintenance can add up fast. More significant is all the staff time wasted adjusting printers and copiers, filing documents, and then trying to find them again—often just to throw them away. Some findings from productivity research studies:

• Inefficient use of printers, copiers, and fax machines can waste between 1 and 3 percent of company revenue annually [ 1 ].
• For every dollar spent on copying, companies incur another $6 in handling and distribution, and half of all documents printed are thrown away within 24 hours [ 2 ].
• An average of 17% of everything printed is considered waste [ 3 ].

Environmental Costs

Using less paper can save your organization money and can also help with several environmental problems. Of all trees harvested for industrial use, 42% go to making paper. The pulp and paper industry is also the largest industrial user of water, the biggest water polluter, and the third largest emitter of global warming pollution in most industrialized nations [ 4 ].

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How Paper is Recycled: Step-by-Step Process (and Benefits Too)

You’d be more shocked than surprised if you heard someone didn’t know about paper. Well, that’s to show you the big role paper play in our everyday activities. From magazines to personal diaries, we can’t just seem to get enough them.

Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. And you’ll most likely dispose of these materials once you finish reading. Well, you don’t need to anymore. You can always recycle them and gain loads of benefits.

So, do you want to know about paper recycling? We’ve got this covered. We’ll tell you what paper recycling is all about. We’ll then show you how and what you stand to gain.

Ready? Dive in!

What is Paper Recycling?

Paper recycling pertains to the processes of reprocessing waste paper for reuse. Waste papers are either obtained from paper mill paper scraps, discarded paper materials, and waste paper material discarded after consumer use. Examples of the commonly known papers recycled are old newspapers and magazines.

Other forms like corrugated, wrapping, and packaging papers among other types of paper are usually checked for recycling suitability before the process. The papers are collected from the waste locations then sent to paper recycling facilities. The subtopics below provide a detailed explanation of the steps used in paper recycling.

According to  NorCal compactors , paper recycling is reprocessing used paper. Well, the goal is to make new and usable paper.

Usually, these used papers come from scraps of paper that you use daily. So, all those magazines that you’ve finished reading. Or those diaries five years back that are no longer relevant, they are suitable scraps.

Typically, if you didn’t recycle, those papers would merely pile up. Worse, they’ll fill up the garbage around and can constitute a nuisance to you and your environment. For instance, it emits toxic gases such as methane and carbon dioxide, which reduces your quality of air .

The Paper recycling activity can start at school, college, home, office, local community and even at drop off centers. We all need to understand what products can be recycled before staring the recycling process and how to properly prepare them for recycling.

How Paper is Recycled: Step-by-Step Process

Now that you know more about paper recycling, you might just be asking how recycling occurs. Well, look no further. Here’s a guide of how companies recycle paper.

Step by step process of Paper Recycling

Step 1: Collection & Transportation

This is the first process in the paper recycling process.

This significant step involves the collection of recyclable papers. It entails gathering paper waste from various outlets like your home, offices, and business vicinity. Recyclers and paper merchants collect the paper materials from collection points such as trash bins, paper stores, paper scrap yards, and commercial outlets that generate paper waste.

This paper waste is collected by recyclers and put together into a large recycle bin. Paper is collected from the bin and deposited in the large recycling container along with the paper from the other recycling bins.

After collection, they are then measured, graded for quality, and hauled to recycling paper mill facilities. It then gets transported to a recycling plant where the waste paper is sorted and separated into types and grades.

Step 2: Sorting

At the recycling plant, the papers are sorted and separated. This process helps to identify the papers that would be recycled and those you need to discard. At this stage, you also remove all other external materials from the paper collection.

Once accepted at the recycling facility, the papers are further sorted based on quantity and paper value by assessing the materials that were used to make the paper. In most cases, the papers are classified according to their surface treatment and structure.

For instance, the very thin lightweight paper materials like newspapers are put separately from the thick paper materials like the ones used as paper folders. Sorting is important since paper mills produce different grades of paper materials based on the materials being recovered.

Step 3: Shredding and Pulping

Once sorting is finished, the next step involves shredding followed by pulping. Shredding is done to break down the paper materials into small bits. After the material is finely shredded to bits, it is mixed with water and chemicals to breakdown the paper fiber materials.

It turns the paper materials into a slurry substance, a process termed as pulping. This is the point where it undergoes a heating process that turns it into pulp. Usually, equipment called puller is what recycling companies use for the process of pulping. And this gets done by adding water and chemicals such as caustic soda and hydrogen peroxide.

Step 4: Screening

At this point, you screen the pulpy mass. The pulp gets pushed into screens with space and holes of different shapes and sizes. The end of this process is for you to remove contamination from the pulp. You also filter out unwanted objects.

Step 5: De-Inking

This stage doesn’t happen at all times. It depends on the paper and occurs where the paper has some ink on it. Here, you ensure you remove all the printing ink, adhesives, and glue within the paper.

Once the pulp is produced it is then passed through a series of screens to remove larger pieces of contaminants for e.g.: inks, staples, plastic film and glue. The pulp material is then mixed up with new pulp to help the slurry substance solidify and form a firmer end product. The clean paper pulp is then placed in the machine that uses centrifugal cleaning to spin more of the debris from the paper pulp.

The slurry substance is then taken through a comprehensive filtering process to get rid of all the non-fibrous foreign materials present or any impurities such as strings, tape or glue. Light materials such as plastics float on top while the heavy materials like metals fall to the bottom for elimination.

Typically, the company achieves this through two steps. The first involves mechanical actions like washing and rinsing the pulp with water. It then consists in making use of chemical additives to remove ink prints. However, this might only work for little ink prints.

Usually, for more massive inks, a process called flotation becomes useful. Here, you make use of air bubbles to remove ink particles. The ink and other particles become glued to the air bubbles. Then they float to the top from where you can remove them.

Step 6: Bleaching

This stage is relevant when you intend to produce a white paper. At this stage, you make use of hydrogen peroxide to increase the to enhance brightness, purity and whiteness. Alternatively, you can make use of oxygen or chlorine dioxide.  However, if you are recycling into cardboard, you need not subject the pulp to the bleaching process.

Alternatively, you might be producing from a paper with coloring. Then, you might want to add color stripping materials to the fibers to remove the dyes from the paper.

This entire step is also called the bleaching process as it cleans the pulp over and over to ensure it is ready for the final processing stage.

Step 7: Rolling

This is the final stage of the entire process of recycling paper. Here, you prepare the clean pulp to begin processing into a new paper.

However, it would be best if you exercise extreme caution here. This is because you will need to mix the paper pulp with chemicals and hot water. However, the hot water you add must be of way greater quantity that both the pulp and the chemical substances

This mixture is then gradually put into a machine with press rollers in it. This ensures that all forms of moisture get removed from the pulp. Then, to completely dry out the pulp sheet, you make use of a heated metal roller.

The cleaned pulp is blended with new production materials after which, it is put to dry on a flat conveyor belt and heated cylindrical surfaces.

As the pulp dries, it is passed through an automated machine that presses out excess water. By the time the pulp is solid, it is passed through steam-heated cylinders that facilitate the formation of flattened long rolls of continuous sheets of paper.

Finally, as the water drains out completely, it then results in a renewed paper sheet. You can then cut this paper sheet into the desired shapes and sizes.

The resultant paper sheets are then trimmed, rolled, and sent to various business outlets or manufacturers that use paper to make their products. Newspaper printing, wrapping papers, printing papers, and blown-in cellulose insulators are a few examples of areas where recycled papers are used.

Incredible Benefits of Paper Recycling

Now that you know about paper recycling, you might be wondering what you stand to gain. Well, the fact is that various benefits come with paper recycling.

Yes, the process appears stressful. But once done, you get to derive some benefits. And even more, benefit the world.

Still, wondering what these are? Here are eight benefits of paper recycling.

1. It Saves Energy

The process of paper production from scratch consumes loads of energy. However, this isn’t the case when it comes to recycling paper. In fact, recycling paper allows you to save about 70% energy.

So, if you’re still wondering why you should recycle, it’s simple—less energy consumption.

2. It Reduces Pollution

If anything, you should know paper recycling is excellent because it is an environmentally-friendly option. When you decide to recycle paper, you avoid dumping papers.

Usually, when you dump paper, they end up as landfills. In turn, these landfills pollute the air with the production of various toxic gas. So, it’s simple. By deciding to recycle, you save the world from landfill pollution.

3. It Reduces Green House Emissions

Even more, you reduce greenhouse emissions, another form of pollution when you recycle. This is because a considerable amount of energy goes into paper production. And this process is prone to increasing greenhouse emissions.

On the other hand, recycling takes less energy. In turn, this ensures there are less methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

More, in case you think this doesn’t benefit you, know it allows you to breathe better.

4. It Preserves Trees & Lessens Deforestation

Cutting of trees to make paper we agree is inevitable. Each year hundreds of thousands of new trees get taken to the slaughter to produce paper.

Well, recycling can significantly reduce this. It allows companies to use trees that were previously cut down continually. Through this, they’ll have fewer reasons to visit the forest and get those saws to work again.

Well, for you, you can sleep better, knowing the ecosystem is better off. And of course, you’re protected from the effects of an impoverished ecosystem.

5. It Saves Cost

The entire process of cutting trees is mostly tedious for paper manufacturers. There’s the high cost of machinery involved. There’s even the cost of labor involved. Well, with recycling, they can avoid this and save costs.

Also, as you already know, recycling consumes less energy. And since power requires cost, less energy means less cost.

Again, in case you ask, how do I benefit as a consumer. This allows you to get paper at a cheaper rate. Great, right?

6. It Creates Job and Improves the Economy

Through paper recycling, more jobs get created for people. Through job creation, the economy experiences vast improvement as the manufacturing sector takes flight. In turn, growth occurs in various other industries.

7. It’s a Source of Income for You

Yes, you heard me right. As an end-user, you get to make money through paper recycling.

This occurs by collecting used paper around your house or vicinity. You can then drop them off at a nearby recycling company for some cash. If you’re a vast reader, you can even make money from yours alone.

So, it’s more of buying a book, reading it, and getting paid to return it. Great right?

8. It Improves the Standard of Living

With recycled paper in use, you don’t have to worry about the smell of landfills or water pollution. This is because paper recycling helps reduce the emission of gas by about 74%. It also avoids water-polluting emissions by about 35%. In turn, you live healthier.

Even more, as it provides a job and represents a source of income, you gain at both ends. Great right?

In Conclusion

Before coming across this article, you probably thought nothing was exciting about paper recycling. Let alone know that it comes with so many benefits. Well, look at you now.

You can see that the idea of paper recycling doesn’t sound ridiculous at all. In fact, it comes with loads of cool benefits.

So, the next time you want to dispose of old newspapers and books in your house. Think hard about the numerous environmental gains you are discarding. Then do the right thing and recycle them.

If you have a keen interest in knowing how the paper is recycled, you can make a visit to your nearby recycling plant and see how the waste paper undergoes the recycling process . Most companies share processes and information with people to make them understand better how the recycling process takes place and encourage them to participate in this process.

References:

National Geographic

About Rinkesh

A true environmentalist by heart ❤️. Founded Conserve Energy Future with the sole motto of providing helpful information related to our rapidly depleting environment. Unless you strongly believe in Elon Musk‘s idea of making Mars as another habitable planet, do remember that there really is no 'Planet B' in this whole universe.

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Home > Books > Environmental Management in Practice

The Effects of Paper Recycling and its Environmental Impact

Submitted: 24 November 2010 Published: 05 July 2011

DOI: 10.5772/23110

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Author Information

Iveta čabalová *.

• Technical University in Zvolen,Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Slovakia

František Kačík

Anton geffert *, danica kačíková *.

*Address all correspondence to:

1. Introduction

It is well known the paper production (likewise the other brands of industry) has enormous effects on the environment. The using and processing of raw materials has a variety of negative effects on the environment.

At the other hand there are technologies which can moderate the negative impacts on the environment and they also have a positive economical effect. One of these processes is the recycling, which is not only the next use of the wastes. The main benefit of the recycling is a double decrease of the environment loading, known as an environmental impact reducing. From the first view point, the natural resources conserves at side of the manufacturing process inputs, from the second view point, the harmful compounds amount leaking to the environment decreases at side of the manufacturing process outputs.

The paper production from the recycled fibers consumes less energy; conserves the natural resources viz. wood and decreases the environmental pollution. The conflict between economic optimization and environmental protection has received wide attention in recent research programs for waste management system planning. This has also resulted in a set of new waste management goals in reverse logistics system planning. Pati et al. (2008 ) have proposed a mixed integer goal programming (MIGP) model to capture the inter-relationships among the paper recycling network system. Use of this model can bring indirectly benefit to the environment as well as improve the quality of waste paper reaching the recycling unit.

In 2005, the total production of paper in Europe was 99.3 million tonnes which generated 11 million tonnes of waste, representing about 11% in relation to the total paper production. The production of recycled paper, during the same period, was 47.3 million tonnes generating 7.7 million tonnes of solid waste (about 70% of total generated waste in papermaking) which represents 16% of the total production from this raw material ( CEPI 2006 ).

The consumption of recovered paper has been in continuous growth during the past decades. According to the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), the use of recovered paper was almost even with the use of virgin fiber in 2005. This development has been boosted by technological progress and the good price competitiveness of recycled fiber, but also by environmental awareness – at both the producer and consumer ends – and regulation that has influenced the demand for recovered paper. The European paper industry suffered a very difficult year in 2009 during which the industry encountered more down-time and capacity closures as a result of the weakened global economy. Recovered paper utilisation in Europe decreased in 2009, but exports of recovered paper to countries outside CEPI continued to rise, especially to Asian markets (96.3%). However, recycling rate expressed as “volume of paper recycling/volume of paper consumption” resulted in a record high 72.2% recycling rate after having reached 66.7% the year before ( Fig. 1 ) ( Hujala et al. 2010 ;CEPI 2006; European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2010; Huhtala& Samakovlis 2002 ; CEPI Annual Statistic 2010).

European paper recycling 1995-2009 in million tonnes (European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2006 – 2010, Monitoring Report 2009 (2010) (www.erpa.info)

Recycling is not a new technology. It has become a commercial proposition since Matthias Koops established the Neckinger mill, in 1826, which produced white paper from printed waste paper. However, there were very few investigations into the effect of recycling on sheet properties until late 1960's. From then until the late 1970's, a considerable amount of work was carried out to identify the effects of recycling on pulp properties and the cause of these effects ( Nazhad 2005 ; Nazhad& Paszner 1994 ). In the late 1980's and early 1990's, recycling issues have emerged stronger than before due to the higher cost of landfills in developed countries and an evolution in human awareness. The findings of the early 70's on recycling effects have since been confirmed, although attempts to trace the cause of these effects are still not resolved ( Howard &Bichard 1992 ).

Recycling has been thought to reduce the fibre swelling capability, and thus the flexibility of fibres. The restricted swelling of recycled fibres has been ascribed to hornification, which has been introduced as a main cause of poor quality of recycled paper ( Scallan&Tydeman 1992 ). Since 1950's, fibre flexibility among the papermakers has been recognized as a main source of paper strength. Therefore, it is not surprising to see that, for over half a century, papermakers have supported and rationalized hornification as a main source of tensile loss due to drying, even though it has never been fully understood ( Sutjipto et al. 2008 ).

Recycled paper has been increasingly produced in various grades in the paper industry. However, there are still technical problems including reduction in mechanical strength for recycled paper. Especially, chemical pulp-origin paper, that is, fine paperrequires a certain level of strength. Howard & Bichard (1992 ) reported that beaten bleachedkraft pulp produced handsheets which were bulky and weak in tensile and burst strengthsby handsheet recycling. This behaviour could be explained by the reduction in re-swelling capability or the reduction in flexibility of rewetted pulp fibers due to fiber hornification and, possibly, by fines loss during recycling processes, which decrease both total bondingarea and the strength of paper ( Howard 1995 ; Nazhad&Paszner 1994 ; Nazhad et al. 1995 ; Khantayanuwong et al.2002 ; Kim et al. 2000 ).

Paper recycling is increasingly important for the sustainable development of the paper industry as an environmentally friendly sound. The research related to paper recycling is therefore increasingly crucial for the need of the industry. Even though there are a number of researches ascertained the effect of recycling treatment on properties of softwood pulp fibres ( Cao et al. 1999 ; Horn 1975 ; Howard&Bichard 1992 ; Jang et al. 1995 ), however, it is likely that hardwood pulp fibres have rarely been used in the research operated with recycling treatment. Changes in some morphological properties of hardwood pulp fibres, such as curl, kink, and length of fibre, due to recycling effects also have not been determined considerably. This is possibly because most of the researches were conducted in the countries where softwood pulp fibres are commercial extensively ( Khantayanuwong 2003 ). Therefore, it is the purpose of the present research to crucially determine the effect of recycling treatment on some important properties of softwood pulp fibres.

2. Alterations of pulp fibres properties at recycling

The goal of a recycled paper or board manufacturer is to make a product that meets customers΄ specification and requirements. At the present utilization rate, using recycled fibres in commodity grades such as newsprint and packaging paper and board has not caused noticeable deterioration in product quality and performance ( Čabalová et al. 2009 ). The expected increase in recovery rates of used paper products will require a considerable consumption increase of recycled fibres in higher quality grades such as office paper and magazine paper. To promote expanded use of recovered paper, understanding the fundamental nature of recycled fibres and the differences from virgin fibres is necessary.

Essentially, recycled fibres are contaminated, used fibres. Recycled pulp quality is, therefore, directly affected by the history of the fibres, i.e. by the origins, processes and treatments which these fibres have experienced.

McKinney (1995) classified the history into five periods:

fibre furnish and pulp history

paper making process history

printing and converting history

consumer and collection history

recycling process history.

To identity changes in fibre properties, many recycling studies have occurred at laboratory. Realistically repeating all the stages ofthe recycling chain is difficult especially when including printing and deinking. Some insight into changes in fibre structure, cell wall properties, and bonding ability is possible from investigations using various recycling procedures, testing methods, and furnishes.

Mechanical pulp is chemically and physically different from chemical pulp then recycling effect on those furnishes is also different. When chemical fibres undergo repeated drying and rewetting, they are hornified and can significantly lose their originally high bonding potential ( Somwand et al. 2002 ; Song & Law 2010 ; Kato & Cameron 1999 ; Bouchard & Douek 1994 ; Khantayanuwong et al. 2002 ; Zanuttini et al. 2007 ; da Silva et al. 2007 ). The degree of hornification can be measured by water retention value (WRW) ( Kim et al. 2000 ). In contrast to the chemical pulps, originally weakermechanical pulps do not deteriorate but somewhat even improve bonding potential during a corresponding treatment. Several studies( Maloney et al. 1998 ; Weise 1998 ; Ackerman et al. 2000 ) have shown good recyclability of mechanical fibres.

Adámková a Milichovský (2002 ) present the dependence of beating degree ( SR –Schopper-Riegler degree) and WRV from the relative length of hardwood and softwood pulps. From their results we can see the WRV increase in dependence on the pulp length alteration is more rapid at hardwood pulp, but finally this value is higher at softwood pulps. Kim et al. (2000 ) determined the WRV decrease at softwood pulps with the higher number of recycling (at zero recycling about cca 1.5 g/g at fifth recycling about cca 1.1 g/g).Utilisation of the secondary fibres to furnish at paper production decrease of the initial need of woody raw (less of cutting tress) but the paper quality is not significantly worse.

2.1. Paper recycling

The primary raw material for the paper production is pulps fibres obtaining by a complicated chemical process from natural materials, mainly from wood. This fibres production is very energy demanding and at the manufacturing process there are used many of the chemical matters which are very problematic from view point of the environment protection. The suitable alternative is obtaining of the pulp fibres from already made paper. This process is far less demanding on energy and chemicals utilisation. The paper recycling, simplified, means the repeated defibring, grinding and drying, when there are altered the mechanical properties of the secondary stock, the chemical properties of fibres, the polymerisation degree of pulp polysaccharidic components, mainly of cellulose, their supramolecular structure, the morphological structure of fibres, range and level of interfibres bonds e.g.. The cause of above mentioned alterations is the fibres ageing at the paper recycling and manufacturing, mainly the drying process.

At the repeat use of the secondary fibres, it need deliberate the paper properties alter due to the fiber deterioration during the recycling, when many alteration are irreversible. The alteration depth depends on the cycle’s number and way to the fibres use. The main problem is the decrease of the secondary pulp mechanical properties with the continuing recycling, mainly the paper strength ( Khantayanuwong et al. 2002 ; Jahan 2003 ; Hubbe & Zhang 2005 ; Garg & Singh 2006 ; Geffertová et al. 2008 ; Sutjipto et al. 2008 ). This decrease is an effect of many alterations, which can but need not arise in the secondary pulp during the recycling process. The recycling causes the hornification of the cell walls that result in the decline of some pulp properties. It is due to the irreversible alterations in the cells structure during the drying ( Oksanen et al. 1997 ; Kim et al. 2000 ; Diniz et al. 2004 ).

The worse properties of the recycled fibres in comparison with the primary fibres can be caused by hornification but also by the decrease of the hydrophilic properties of the fibres surface during the drying due to the redistribution or migration of resin and fat acids to the surface ( Nazhad& Paszner 1994 ; Nazhad 2005 ). Okayama (2002 ) observed the enormous increase of the contact angle with water which is related to the fiber inactivation at the recycling. This process is known as „irreversible hornification“.

Paper recycling saves the natural wood raw stock, decreases the operation and capital costs to paper unit, decrease water consumption and last but not least this paper processing gives rise to the environment preservation (e.g. 1 t of waste paper can replace cca 2.5 m 3 of wood).

A key issue in paper recycling is the impact of energy use in manufacturing.Processing waste paper for paper and board manufacture requires energy that isusually derived from fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. In contrast to the productionof virgin fibre-based chemical pulp, waste paper processing does not yield a thermalsurplus and thus thermal energy must be supplied to dry the paper web. If,however, the waste paper was recovered for energy purposes the need for fossil fuelwould be reduced and this reduction would have a favourable impact on the carbondioxide balance and the greenhouse effect. Moreover, pulp production based onvirgin fibres requires consumption of round wood and causes emissions of air-pollutingcompounds as does the collection of waste paper. For better paper utilization, an interactive model, the Optimal Fibre Flow Model, considersboth a quality (age) and an environmental measure of waste paper recycling was developed ( Byström&Lönnstedt 1997 ).

2.1.1. Influence of beating on pulp fibres

Beating of chemical pulp is an essential step in improving the bonding ability of fibres. The knowledge complete about beating improves the present opinion of the fibres alteration at the beating. The main and extraneous influences of the beating device on pulps were defined.The main influences are these, each of them can be improve by the suitable beating mode, but only one alteration cannot be attained. Known are varieties of simultaneous changes in fibres, such as internal fibrilation, external fibrilation, fiber shortening or cutting, and fines formation ( Page 1989 ; Kang & Paulapuro 2006a ; Kang & Paulapuro 2006c ).

Freeing and disintegration of a cell wall affiliated with strongswelling expressed as an internal fibrilation and delamination. The delamination is a coaxial cleavage in the middle layer of the secondary wall.It causes the increased water penetration to the cell wall and the fibre plasticizing.

External fibrillation and fibrils peeling from surface, which particularly or fully attacks primary wall and outside layers of secondary walls.Simultaneously from the outside layers there arecleavage fibrils, microfibrils, nanofibrils to the macromolecule of cellulose and hemicelluloses.

Fibres shortening in any place in any angle-wise across fibre in accordance with loading, most commonly in weak places.

Concurrently the main effects at the beating also the extraneous effects take place, e.g. fines making, compression along the fibres axis, fibres waving due to the compression. It has low bonding ability and it influences the paper porosity,stocks freeness ( Sinke&Westenbroek 2004 ).

The beating causes the fibres shortening, the external and internal fibrillation affiliated with delamination and the fibres plasticizing. The outside primary wall of the pulp fibre leaks water little, it has usually an intact primary layer and a tendency to prevent from the swelling of the secondary layer of the cell wall. At the beating beginning there are disintegrated the fibre outside layers (P and S1), the fibrilar structure of the fibre secondary layer is uncovering, the water approach is improving, the swelling is taking place and the fibrillation process is beginning. The fibrillation process is finished by the weaking and cleavaging of the bonds between the particular fibrils and microfibrils of cell walls during the mechanical effect and the penetration into the interfibrilar spaces, it means to the amorphous region, there is the main portion of hemicelluloses.

Češek& Milichovský (2005 ) showed that with the increase of pulp beating degree the standard rheosettling velocity of pulp decreases more at the fibres fibrillation than at the fibres shortening.

Refining causes a variety of simultaneous changes in the fiber structure, such as internal fibrillation, external fibrillation and fines formation. Among these effects, swelling is commonly recognized as an important factor affecting the strength of recycled paper ( Kang & Paulapuro 2006d ).

Scallan & Tigerstrom (1991 ) observed the elasticity modulus of the long fibres from kraft pulp during the recycling. Flexibility decrease was evident at the beating degree decrease ( SR), and also with the increase of draining velocity of low-yield pulp.

Alteration of the breaking length of the paper sheet drying at the temperature of 80, 100 a 120°C during eightfold recycling

The selected properties of the pulp fibres and the paper sheets during the process of eightfold recycling at three drying temperatures of 80, 100, 120°C.

From the result on Fig. 2 we can see the increase of the pulp fibres active surface takes place during the beating process, which results in the improve of the bonding and the paper strength after the first beating. It causes also the breaking length increase of the laboratory sheets. The secondary fibres wear by repeated beating, what causes the decrease of strength values ( Table 1 ).

The biggest alterations of tear index ( Fig. 3 ) were observed after fifth recycling at the bleached softwood pulp fibres. The first beating causes the fibrillation of the outside layer of the cell wall, it results in the formation of the mechanical (felting) and the chemical bonds between the fibres. The repeated beating and drying dues, except the continuing fibrillation of the layer, the successive fibrils peeling until the peeling of the primary and outside secondary layer of the cell wall. It discovers the next non-fibriled layer S2 (second, the biggest layer of the secondary wall) what can do the tear index decrease. The next beating causes also this layer fibrillation, which leads to the increase of the strength value ( Fig. 3 , Tab. 1 ).Paper strength properties such as tensile strength and Scott bond strength were strongly influenced by internal fibrillation; these could also be increased further by promoting mostly external fibrillation ( Kang & Paulapuro 2006b ).

The course of the breaking length decrease and the tearing strength increase of the paper sheet is in accordance with the results of Sutjipto et al. (2008 ) at the threefold recycling of the bleached (88% ISO) softwood pulps prepared at the laboratory conditions, beated on PFI mill to 25 SR.

Tear index alteration of the paper sheets drying at the temperature of 80, 100 a 120°C, during eightfold recycling

Song & Law (2010 ) observedkraft pulp oxidation and its influence on recycling characteristics of fibres, the found up the fibre oxidation influences negatively the tear index of paper sheets.Oxidation of virgin fibre prior to recycling minimized the loss of WRV and sheet density.

The beating causes the fibres shortening and fines formation which is washed away in the large extent and it endeds in the paper sludges. This waste can be further processed and effective declined.

Within theEuropean Union several already issued and other foreseendirectives have great influence on the waste managementstrategy of paper producing companies. Due to the large quantities ofwaste generated, the high moisture content of the wasteand the changing composition, some recovery methods,for example, conversion to fuel components, are simplytoo expensive and their environmental impact uncertain.The thermal processes, gasification and pyrolysis, seem tobe interesting emerging options, although it is still necessaryto improve the technologies for sludge application.Other applications, such as the hydrolysis to obtain ethanol,have several advantages (use of wet sludge and applicabletechnology to sludges) but these are not welldeveloped for pulp and paper sludges. Therefore, at thismoment, the minimization of waste generation still hasthe highest priority ( Monte et al. 2009 ).

2.1.2. Drying influence on the recycled fibres

Characteristic differences between recycled fibres and virgin fibres can by expected. Many of these can by attributed to drying. Drying is a process that is accompanied by partially irreversible closure of small pores in the fibre wall, as well as increased resistance to swelling during rewetting. Further differences between virgin and recycled fibres can be attributed to the effects of a wide range of contaminating substances ( Hubbe et al. 2007 ). Drying, which has an anisotropic character, has a big influence on the properties of paper produced from the secondary fibres.During the drying the shear stress are formatted in the interfibrilar bonding area. The stresses formatted in the fibres and between them effect the mechanical properties in the drying paper. The additional effect dues the tensioning of the wet pulp stock on the paper machine.

During the drying and recycling the fibres are destructed. It is important to understand the loss of the bonding strength of the drying chemical fibres. Dang (2007 ) characterized the destruction like a percentage reduction of ability of the water retention value (WRV) in pulp at dewatering.

Hornification = [(WRV 0 -WRV 1 )/WRV 0 ]. 100 [%],

WRV 0 –is value of virgin pup

WRV 1 –the value of recycled pulp after drying and reslushing.

According to the prevailing concept, hornification occurs in the cell wall matrix of chemical fibres. During drying, delaminated parts of the fiber wall, i.e., cellulose microfibrils become attached as Fig. 4 shows ( Ackerman et al. 2000 ).

Changes in fiber wall structure ( Weise &Paulapuro 1996 )

Shrinkage of a fiber cross section ( Ackerman et al. 2000 )

Hydrogen bonds between those lamellae also form. Reorientation and better alignment of microfibrils also occur. All this causes an intensely bonded structure. In a subsequent reslushing in water, the fiber cell wall microstructure remains more resistant to delaminating forces because some hydrogen bonds do not reopen. The entire fiber is stiffer and more brittle ( Howard 1991 ). According to some studies ( Bouchard &Douek 1994 ; Maloney et al. 1998 ), hornification does not increase the crystallinity of cellulose or the degree of order in the hemicelluloses ofthe fiber wall.

The drying model of Scallan ( Laivins&Scallan 1993 ) suggests that hornification prevents the dry structure in A from fully expanding to the wet structure in D. Instead, only partial expansion to B may be possible after initial drying creates hydrogen bonds between the microfibrils( Kato & Cameron 1999 )

Weise & Paulapuro (1996 ) did very revealing work about the events during fiber drying. They studied fiber cross section of kraft fibers in various solids by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) and simultaneously measured hornification with WRV tests. Irreversible hornification of fibers began on the degree of beating. It does not directly follow shrinkage since the greatest shrinkage of fibers occurs above 80 % solids content. In Figs. 4 and 5 , stage A represented wet kraft fiber before drying. In stage B, the drainage has started tocause morphological changes in the fiber wall matrix at about 30 % solids content. The fiber wall lamellae start to approach each other because of capillary forces. During this stage, the lumen can collapse. With additional drying, spaces between lamellae continue shrinking to phase C where most free voids in the lamellar structure of the cell wall have already closed. Toward the end of drying in stage D, the water removal occurs in the fine structure of the fiber wall. Kraft fiber shrink strongly and uniformly during this final phase of drying, i.e., at solid contents above 75-80 %. The shrinkage of stage D is irreversible.

At a repeated use of the dried fibres in paper making industry, the cell walls receive the water again. Then the opposite processes take place than in the Fig. 4 and 5 . It show Scallan´s model of the drying in Fig. 6 .

The drying dues also macroscopic stress applied on paper and distributed in fibres system according a local structure.

2.1.3. Properties of fibres from recycled paper

The basic properties of origin wet fibres change in the drying process of pulp and they are not fully regenerated in the process of slushing and beating.

The same parameters are suitable for the description of the paper properties of secondary fibres and fibres at ageing as well as for description of primary fibres properties. The experiences obtained at the utilisation of waste paper showed the secondary fibres have very different properties from the origin fibres. Next recycling of fibres causes the formation of extreme nonhomogeneous mixture of various old fibres. At the optimum utilisation of the secondary fibres it need take into account their altered properties at the repeated use. With the increase number of use cycles the fibres change irreversible, perish and alter their properties. Slushing and beating causes water absorption, fibres swelling and a partial regeneration of properties of origin fibres. However the repeated beating and drying at the multiple production cycles dues the gradual decrease of swelling ability, what influences a bonding ability of fibres. With the increase of cycles number the fibres are shortened. These alterations express in paper properties. The decrease of bonding ability and mechanical properties bring the improving of some utility properties. Between them there is higher velocity of dewatering and drying, air permeability and blotting properties improve of light scattering, opacity and paper dimensional stability.

The highest alterations of fibres properties are at the first and following three cycles. The size of strength properties depends on fibres type ( Geffertová et al. 2008 ).

Drying influences fibres length, width, shape factor, kinks which are the important factors to the strength of paper made from recycled fibres. The dimensional characteristics are measured by many methods, known is FQA (Fiber Quality Analyser), which is a prototype IFA (Imaging Fiber Analyser) and also Kajaani FS-200 fibre-length analyser. They measure fibres length, different kinks and their angles. Robertson et al. (1999 ) show correlation between methods FQA and Kajaani FS-200. A relatively new method of fibres width measurement is also SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) ( Bennis et al. 2010 ). Among devices for analyse of fibres different properties and characteristics, e.g. fibres length and width, fines, various deformations of fibres and percentage composition of pulp mixture is L&W Fiber Tester (Lorentzen & Wettre, Sweden). At every measurement the minimum of 20 000 fibres in a sample is evaluated. On Fig. 7 there is expressed the alteration of fibres average length of softwood pulps during the eightfold recycling at the different drying temperature of pulp fibres.

Influence of recycling number and drying temperature on length of softwood pulps

Influence of recycling number and drying temperature on width of softwood pulps

The biggest alteration were observed after first beating (zero recycling), when the fibres average length decrease at the sheet drying temperature of 80°C about 17%, at the temperature of 100°C about 15.6% and at the temperature of 120°C about 14.6%.

After the first beating the fibres average width was markedly increased at the all temperatures dues to the fibrillation influence. The fibres fibrillation causes the fibre surface increase. Following markedly alteration is observed after fifth recycling, when the fibres average width was decreased. We assume the separation of fibrils and microfibrils from the cell walls dues the separation of the cell walls outside layer, the inside nonfibriled wall S2 was discovered and the fibres average width decreased. After the fifth recycling the strength properties became worse, mainly tear index ( Fig. 3 ).

The softwood fibres are longer than hardwood fibres, they are not so straight. The high value of shape factor means fibres straightness. The biggest alterations of shape factor can be observed mainly at the high drying temperatures. The water molecules occurring on fibres surface quick evaporate at the high temperatures and fibre more shrinks. It can result in the formation of weaker bonds between fibres those surfaces are not enough near. At the beginning of wet paper sheet drying the hydrogen bond creates through water layer on the fibres surface, after the drying through monomolecular layer of water, finally the hydrogen bond results after the water removal and the surfaces approach. It results in destruction of paper and fibre at the drying.

Chemical pulp fines are an important component in papermaking furnish. They can significantly affect the mechanical and optical properties of paper and the drainage properties of pulp ( Retulainen et al. 1993 ). Characterizing the fines will therefore allow a better understanding of the role of fines and better control the papermaking process and the properties of paper. Chemical pulp fines retard dewatering of the pulp suspension due to the high water holding capacity of fines. In the conventional method for characterizing the role of fines in dewatering, a proportion of fines is added to the fiber furnish, and then only the drainage time. Fines suspension is composed of heterogeneous fines particles in water. The suspension exhibits different rheological characteristics depending on the degree of interaction between the fines particles and on their hydration ( Kang & Paulapuro 2006b ).

From Fig. 9 we can see the highest formation of fines were after seventh and eight recycling, when the fibres were markedly weakened by the multiple using at the processes of paper making. They are easier and faster beating (the number of revolution decreased by the higher number of the recycling).

Influence of recycling process and drying temperature on pulp fines changes

The macroscopic level (density, volume, porosity, paper thickness) consists from the physical properties very important for the use of paper and paperboard. They indirectly characterize the three dimensional structure of paper ( Niskanen 1998 ). A paper is a complex structure consisting mainly of a fibre network, filler pigment particles and air. Light is reflected at fibre and pigment surfaces in the surface layer and inside the paper structure. The light also penetrates into the cellulose fibres and pigments, and changes directions. Some light is absorbed, but the remainder passes into the air and is reflected and refracted again by new fibres and pigments. After a number of reflections and refractions, a certain proportion of the light reaches the paper surface again and is then reflected at all possible angles from the surface. We do not perceive all the reflections and refractions (the multiple reflections or refractions) which take place inside the paper structure, but we perceive that the paper has a matt white surface i.e. we perceive a diffuse surface reflection. Some of the incident light exists at the back of the paper as transmitted light, and the remainder has been absorbed by the cellulose and the pigments. Besides reflection, refraction and absorption, there is a fourth effect called diffraction. In other contexts, diffraction is usually the same thing as light scattering, but within the field of paper technology, diffraction is only one aspect of the light scattering phenomenon. Diffraction occurs when the light meets particles or pores which are as large as or smaller then the wavelength of the light, i.e. particles which are smaller than one micrometer (μm). These small elements oscillate with the light oscillation and thus function as sites for new light sources. When the particles or pores are smaller than half of the light wavelength the diffraction decreases. It can be said that the light passes around the particle without being affected ( Pauler 2002 ).

The opacity, brightness, colouring and brilliance are important optical properties of papers and paperboards. For example the high value of opacity is need at the printing papers, but opacity of translucent paper must be lower. The paper producer must understand the physical principles of the paper structure and to determine their characteristics composition. It is possible to characterize nondirect the paper structure. The opacity characterizes the paper ability to hide a text or a figure on the opposite side of the paper sheet. The paper brightness is a paper reflection at a blue light use. The blue light is used because the made fibers have yellowish colour and a human eye senses a blue tone like a white colour.The typical brightness of the printing papers is 70 – 95% and opacity is higher than 90% ( Niskanen 1998 ).

3. Paper ageing

The recycled paper is increasingly used not only for the products of short term consumption (newspaper, sanitary paper, packaging materials e.g.), but also on the production of the higher quality papers, which can serve as a culture heritage medium. The study of the recycled papers alterations in the ageing process is therefore important, but the information in literature are missing.

The recycling is also another form of the paper ageing. It causes the paper alterations, which results in the degradation of their physical and mechanical properties. The recycling causes a chemical, thermal, biological and mechanical destruction, or their combination ( Milichovský 1994 ; Geffertová et al. 2008 ).The effect of the paper ageing is the degradation of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin macromolecules, the decrease of low molecular fractions, the degree of polymerisation (DP) decrease, but also the decline of the mechanical and optical properties ( El Ashmawy et al. 1974 ; Valtasaari & Saarela 1975 ; Lauriol et al. 1987a ,b,c; Bansa 2002 ; Havermans 2003 ; Dupont & Mortha 2004 ; Kučerová & Halajová, 2009 ; Čabalová et al. 2011 ).Cellulose as the most abundant natural polymer on the Earth is very important as a renewable organic material. The degradation of cellulosebasedpaper is important especially in archives and museums where ageing in various conditions reduces the mechanical properties and deteriorates optical quality of stored papers, books and other artefacts. The low rate of paper degradation results in the necessity of using accelerating ageing tests. The ageing tests consistin increasing the observed changes of paper properties, usually by using different temperature, humidity, oxygen content and acidity, respectively. Ageing tests are used in studies of degradation rate and mechanism. During the first ageing stages—natural or accelerated—there are no significant variations in mechanical properties: degradation evidence is only provided by measuring chemical processes. Oxidation induced by environmental conditions, in fact, causes carbonyl and carboxyl groups formation, with great impact on paper permanence and durability, even if mechanical characteristics are not affected in the short term ( Piantanida et al. 2005 ). During the degradation two main reactions prevail – hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds and oxidation of glucopyranose rings. As a result of some oxidation processes keto- and aldehyde groups are formed. These groups are highly reactive; they are prone to crosslinking, which is the third chemical process of cellulose decay ( Bansa 2002 , Calvini & Gorassini 2006 ).

At the accelerated paper ageing the decrease of DP is very rapid in the first stages of the ageing, later decelerates. During the longer time of the ageing there was determined the cellulose crosslinking by the method of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) ( Kačík et al. 2009 ). The similar dependences were obtained at the photo-induced cellulose degradation ( Malesic et al. 2005 ).

An attention is pay to the kinetic of the cellulose degradation in several decades, this process was studied by Kuhn in 1930 and the first model of the kinetic of the cellulose chains cleavage was elaborated by Ekenstam in 1936.This model is based on the kinetic equation of first-order and it is used to this day in modifications for the watching of the cellulose degradation in different conditions. Hill et al. (1995 ) deduced a similar model with the

Alterations of DP (degree of polymerisation) of cellulose fibres due to recycling and ageing at the pulp fibres drying temperature of 80°C, 100°C a 120°C.

contribution of the zero order kinetic. Experimental results are often controversial and new kinetic model for explanation of cellulose degradation at various conditions was proposed ( Calvini et al. 2008 ). The first-order kinetic model developed by these authors suggests that the kinetics of cellulose degradation depends upon the mode of ageing. An autoretardant path is followed during either acid hydrolysis in aqueous suspensions or oven ageing, while the production of volatile acid compounds trapped during the degradation in sealed environments primes an autocatalytic mechanism. Both these mechanisms are depleted by the consumption of the glycosidic bonds in the amorphous regions of cellulose until the levelling-off DP (LODP) is reached.

At the accelerated ageing ofnewspaper ( Kačík et al. 2008 ), the cellulose degradation causes the decrease of the average degree of polymerisation(DP). The DP decrease is caused by two factors in accordance with equation

DP = LODP + DP01.e -k1.t + DP02.e -k2.t ,

where LODP is levelling-off degree of polymerisation. There is a first factor higher and quickdecreasing during eight days and a second factor is lower and slow decreasing and dominant aftereight days of the accelerating ageing in the equation. The number of cleavaged bonds can be welldescribed by equation

DP 0 /DP t – 1 = n 0 .(1-e -k.t ),

where n 0 is an initial number of bonds available for degradation. The equation of the regression function is in accordance with Calvini et al. (2007 ) proposal, the calculated value (4.4976) is in a good accordance with the experimentally obtained average values of DP 0 a DP 60 (4.5057). The DP decreased to cca 38% of the initial value and the polydispersity degree to 66% of the initial value. The decrease of the rate constant with the time of ageing was obtained also by next authors ( Emsley et al. 1997 ; Zervos & Moropoulou 2005 ; Ding & Wang 2007 ). Čabalová et al. (2011 ) observed the influence of the accelerated ageing on the recycled pulp fibres, they determined the lowest decrease of DP at the fibres dried at the temperature of 120°C ( Fig. 10 ).

The simultaneous influence of the recycling and ageing has the similar impact at the drying temperatures of 80°C (decrease about 27,5 %) and 100°C (decrease about 27.6%) in regard of virgin pulp, lower alterations were at the temperature of 120°C (decrease about 21.5%). The ageing of the recycled paper causes the decrease of the pulp fiber DP, but the paper remains good properties.

4. Conclusion

The recycling is a necessity of this civilisation. The paper manufacturing is from its beginning affiliated with the recycling, because the paper was primarily manufactured from the 100 % furnish of rag. It is increasingly assented the trend of the recycled fibers use from the European and world criterion. The present European papermaking industry is based on the recycling.

The presence of the secondary fibres from the waste paper, their quality and amount is various in the time intervals, the seasons and the regional conditions. It depends on the manufacturing conditions in the paper making industry of the country.

At present the recycling is understood in larger sense than the material recycling, which has a big importance from view point of the paper recycling. Repeatedly used fibres do not fully regenerate their properties, so they cannot be recycled ad anfinitum. It allows to use the alternative possibilities of the paper utilisation in the building industry, at the soil reclamation, it the agriculture, in the power industry.

The most important aim is, however, the recycled paper utilisation for the paper manufacturing.

Acknowledgments

This work was financed by the Slovak Grant Agency VEGA (project number 1/0490/09).

• 11. CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries). 2006 Special Recycling 2005 Statistics- European Paper Industry Hits New Record in Recycling. 27.02.2011, Available from: http://www.erpa.info/images/Special_Recycling_2005_statistics.pdf
• 12. CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industrie). 2010 Annual Statistic 2009. 27.02.2011, Available from: http://www.erpa.info/download/CEPI_annual_statistics%202009.pdf
• 18. European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2006 2010 , Monitoring Report 2009 (2010), 27.02. 2011, Available from: http://www.erpa.info/images/monitoring_report_2009.pdf

© 2011 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike-3.0 License , which permits use, distribution and reproduction for non-commercial purposes, provided the original is properly cited and derivative works building on this content are distributed under the same license.

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What Are the Benefits of Paper Recycling?

Paper recycling saves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions

Larry West is an award-winning environmental journalist and writer. He won the Edward J. Meeman Award for Environmental Reporting.

• University of Washington

Paper recycling has been around for a long time. Actually, when you think about it, paper has been a recycled product from the very beginning. For the first 1,800 years or so that paper existed, it was always made from discarded materials.

What Are the Most Significant Benefits of Paper Recycling?

Recycling paper conserves natural resources, saves energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions , and keeps landfill space free for other types of trash that can't be recycled.

Recycling one ton of paper can save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil, 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space and 4,000 kilowatts of energy — enough to power the average U.S. home for six months — and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one metric ton of carbon equivalent (MTCE).

Who Invented Paper?

A Chinese official named Ts'ai Lun was the first person to make what we would consider paper. In 105 AD, at Lei-Yang, China, Ts'ai Lun stirred together a combination of rags, used fishing nets, hemp and tree bark to make the first real paper the world had ever seen. Before Ts'ai Lun invented paper, people wrote on papyrus, a natural reed used by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans to create the paper-like material from which paper derives its name.

Those first sheets of paper Ts'ai Lun made were pretty rough, but over the next few centuries, as papermaking spread throughout Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the process improved and so did the quality of the paper produced.

When Did Paper Recycling Begin?

Papermaking and producing paper from recycled materials came to the United States simultaneously in 1690. William Rittenhouse learned to make paper in Germany and founded America's first paper mill on Monoshone Creek near Germantown, which is now Philadelphia. Rittenhouse made his paper from discarded rags and cotton. It wasn't until the 1800s that people in the United States started making paper from trees and wood fiber.

On April 28, 1800, an English papermaker named Matthias Koops was granted the first patent for paper recycling — English patent no. 2392, titled Extracting Ink from Paper and Converting such Paper into Pulp. In his patent application, Koops described his process as, "An invention made by me of extracting printing and writing ink from printed and written paper, and converting the paper from which the ink is extracted into pulp, and making thereof paper fit for writing, printing, and other purposes."

In 1801, Koops opened a mill in England that was the first in the world to produce paper from material other than cotton and linen rags — specifically from recycled paper. Two years later, the Koops mill declared bankruptcy and closed, but Koops' patented paper-recycling process was later used by paper mills all over the world.

Municipal paper recycling started in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1874, as part of the nation's first curbside recycling program. And in 1896, the first recycling center opened in New York City. From those early efforts, paper recycling has continued to grow until, today, more paper is recycled (if measured by weight) than all of the glass, plastic, and aluminum combined.

How Much Paper Is Recycled Every Year?

In 2018, 68.2 percent of the paper used in the United States was recovered for recycling, for a total of 99 million tons.   That's a 127 percent increase in the recovery rate since 1990, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Approximately 80 percent of U.S. paper mills use some recovered paper fiber to produce new paper and paperboard products.  

How Many Times Can the Same Paper Be Recycled?

Paper recycling does have limits. Every time paper is recycled, the fiber becomes shorter and weaker. In general, paper can be recycled up to six times before it must be discarded.

Edited by Frederic Beaudry

“ Frequently Asked Questions: Benefits of Recycling .” Stanford University .

CITATION: “ Paper Recycling .” Georgetown University Qatar .

“ Cai Lun .” Paper Discovery Center .

Camp, William G., and Betty Heath-Camp. Managing Our Natural Resources (6th Edition) . Cengage. 2016.

“ From the Woods: Paper! .” Penn State University.

“ How Does Paper Recycling Work? .” Gould Publication Papers UK.

“ History of the Recycling World, Part 1 .” Northeast Recycling Center .

“ Paper and Paperboard: Material-Specific Data .” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“ Paper is a Recycling Success Story. Pulp and Paperworkers Explain Why .”

American Forest & Paper Association .

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• What Is Commingled Recycling? How It Works and Recycling Tips
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• Is Wrapping Paper Recyclable?
• Why Recycle Plastics?
• Benefits of Glass Recycling
• How to Recycle Office Paper
• The Benefits of Metal Recycling
• The True Impact of Not Recycling Our Old Electronics
• Ask Pablo: Is It Really Better to Recycle Paper?
• Are To-Go Food Containers Recyclable?
• Can You Recycle Paper Towels?
• Are Egg Cartons Recyclable?
• Are Magazines Recyclable?
• What Are the Easiest, Most Important Things to Recycle?

Everything You Need to Know About Paper Recycling

By Kathryn Sukalich

In 2011, 66.8 percent of paper consumed in the United States was recycled. Every ton of paper recycled saves more than 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space, and if you measure by weight, more paper is recovered for recycling than plastic, aluminum and glass combined. Paper is a material that we’re used to recycling, since 87 percent of us have access to curbside or drop-off recycling for paper.

Additionally, 76 percent of paper mills used some recovered paper in 2011, so the paper you throw into the bin is finding its way into plenty of new products. The process of recycling old paper into new paper might sound like it would be complex, but in reality, it’s pretty straightforward. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could even try to recreate this process yourself using everything from old wrapping paper to junk mail.

On an industrial scale, though, paper recycling allows us to save both energy and resources. By recycling one ton of paper we save 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water and 463 gallons of oil, according to the EPA . Keep reading to find out how the process works and how you can make sure you recycle paper correctly.

How is Paper Recycled?

• After you put paper in your recycling bin, it’s taken to a recycling center where contaminants such as plastic, glass or trash are removed.
• Next, the paper is sorted into different grades.
• Once paper is sorted, it will be stored in bales until a mill needs it, and then it will be transferred to the mill for processing.
• Once at the mill large machines (pulpers) shred the paper into small pieces. This mixture of paper, water, and chemicals is heated and the pieces of paper break down into fibers.
• The mixture is pressed through a screen to remove adhesives and other remaining contaminants.
• Next, the paper will be spun in a cone-shaped cylinder to clean it, and sometimes ink will also be removed . At this point, the pulp is sent through a machine that sprays it onto a conveyor belt. Water will drip through the belt’s screen, and the paper fibers will start bonding together.
• Heated metal rollers will dry the paper, and the paper will be put onto large rolls, which can be made into new paper products.

Grades of Paper

Newspaper is a lower grade paper because it has already been recycled numerous times, while printer paper is higher grade paper. The grade of paper is determined by fiber length, which shortens after each trip through the recycling process.

After being recycled five to seven times, the fibers become too short to make new paper and will need to be mixed with virgin fibers, according to the EPA . Ever heard that paper has “seven generations”? That phrase refers to how many times paper can be recycled before its fibers become too short.

There are five basic paper grade categories, according to the EPA . While these terms may be most useful to paper mills looking to process certain kinds of paper, you may hear these terms once in a while, and it’s possible you’ll need to be able to distinguish between them.

• Old Corrugated Containers – You might know this as “corrugated cardboard.” It’s most often found in boxes and product packaging.
• Mixed Paper – This is a broad category of paper that includes things like mail, catalogs, phone books and magazines.
• Old Newspapers – This one is pretty self-explanatory. Mills use newspapers, a lower grade paper, to make more newsprint, tissue and other products.
• High Grade Deinked Paper – This quality paper consists of things like envelopes, copy paper and letterhead that has gone through the printing process and had the ink removed.
• Pulp Substitutes – This paper is usually discarded scraps from mills, and you probably won’t have to worry about running into it, though it may find its way into products you buy.

How to Recycle Paper Properly

Now that you understand how paper gets made into new paper, you need to know how you as a consumer can recycle properly. For example, you might occasionally find yourself with a type of paper you’re unsure what to do with. In those situations, understanding some basic paper terms – for different kinds of paper and different kinds of recycling – can help you put the right materials in the right bin.

Collection:  As a consumer, you will need to know whether paper can go in your curbside recycling bin, and if so, whether it needs to be separated.

• Single-Stream – This type of collection allows you to put all recyclables like glass, plastic and paper in one container. Single-stream collection makes the process easy for those who wish to recycle and it requires fewer trucks for collection.
• Sorted-Stream – This type of collection requires residents to separate certain kinds of recyclables. You may be asked to put all mixed paper in one container or to separate paper waste more specifically. If you have sorted-stream recycling, check local regulations before throwing paper in the recycling bin.

Once you know what kind of paper recycling is available to you and which types of paper are recyclable, you might still have some questions about paper recycling. Here are a few common items that cause confusion:

Shredded Paper:  Ever wondered whether shredded paper can be recycled? The answer is yes , though you may encounter some local restrictions regarding the size of the shredded pieces and the way the paper is contained . Check with your local recycling program for specific information.

Staples & Paper Clips:  Believe it or not, equipment at paper mills that recycle recovered paper is designed to remove things like staples and paper clips, so you don’t need to remove them before recycling. It is probably in your best interest to remove paper clips, though, so they can be reused.

Sticky Notes:  If your local recycling program accepts mixed paper, it will most likely accept sticky notes . Paper mills that process mixed paper are able to remove adhesives. To be on the safe side, check with your local program to make sure sticky notes aren’t a problem.

The amount of paper recovered for recycling in 2011 averaged 338 pounds for each man, woman and child in the U.S., according to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA). By understanding how the process works and what you can do to ensure recyclable paper doesn’t end up in a landfill, you can help keep this number high.

• For more information about recycling your own paper at home, check out: Simple Steps to Recycle Your Own Paper .
• To learn about how to start paper recycling programs at work, school or in your community, read: 3 Places You Should Always Recycle Paper .

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on March 19, 2013. It was updated on July 1, 2016 with new information and updated links.

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Paper Waste: Why It Matters & How to Reduce It

December 06, 2023 - 6 min read

Paper waste refers to discarded paper materials that are no longer needed and are destined for disposal. Paper waste is a significant environmental concern due to its contribution to landfills, deforestation, energy and water consumption, and air pollution.

In the swirl of today’s bustling world, paper remains a silent yet significant part of our daily lives. From the morning coffee cup to the endless stream of office documents, paper is omnipresent, often overlooked yet highly impactful on the environment. The reality is stark: paper waste constitutes a major segment of the solid waste in landfills and plays a notable role in deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution. 

So understanding how to reduce paper waste and taking actionable steps to minimize it isn't just an act of environmental consciousness; it's a responsibility. Today, we explore the labyrinth of paper waste, its repercussions, and how eco-friendly alternatives can significantly contribute to curbing this issue.

The Current State of Paper Waste

Despite the sea of digital transformation, paper endures as an integral yet challenging element of our global waste dilemma. Despite our lives becoming increasingly centered on digital solutions, the trails of wastepaper continue to expand, suggesting that the paperless world we often continue to imagine as the wave of the future remains elusive. 

From school assignments to boardroom reports, the demand for paper is juxtaposed against the urgent call for environmental stewardship. As we delve into the realm of how to reduce paper waste, it’s clear that our reliance on this resource has significant repercussions, necessitating a closer look at recovery, recycling, and the role of paper in our daily professional activities.

Global Paper Recovery and Recycling

The path of paper from creation to recycling is a complex one, often stymied by insufficient recycling infrastructure and the mixed quality of the recovered material. Despite considerable progress, a substantial gap exists between the amount of paper produced and the quantities that are reclaimed and repurposed. 

Efforts to enhance paper recovery and recycling are ongoing, with the ultimate goal being a closed-loop system where paper and packaging waste re-enters the production cycle, minimizing the need for raw materials. These endeavors are not just about preserving trees; they're about creating a sustainable model that can support our paper needs without compromising the health of our planet.

The Impact of Paper in Offices and Industries

Paper serves as both a tool of communication and a symbol of bureaucracy. Offices, while pivoting towards digital solutions, still harbor a significant dependency on paper, evident in the towering stacks of documents, reports, and promotional materials that accumulate and need sorting daily. This continuous churn of paper contributes to an enormous waste footprint, one that industries are now seeking to reduce through innovative waste reduction strategies and responsible sourcing.

The Environmental and Economic Consequences of Paper Waste

Paper waste is not a silent issue; its environmental ramifications echo through the corridors of economic and ecological discussions alike. Its consequences ripple out, affecting forests, the air we breathe, and the efficiency of our waste management systems. Understanding the full impact of paper waste is a step towards mitigating its effects and crafting solutions that align with our environmental aspirations and economic realities.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The paper industry's contribution to greenhouse gasses is a significant facet of its environmental impact, with both the U.S. and Canada grappling with the implications of climate change. 1 This sector is among the top industrial emitters of carbon dioxide, the byproduct of energy consumption for paper processing and transportation. Every ton of paper recycled can prevent the release of approximately one ton of carbon dioxide, illustrating the profound climate benefits that can be achieved through improved recycling rates and reduced paper production.

Deforestation and Its Effects

Deforestation, driven by various industries including paper and pulp, continues to be an alarming global issue. It not only contributes to the loss of biodiversity and the displacement of indigenous communities but also exacerbates climate change by reducing the planet's carbon absorption capacity. Encouragingly, each ton of recycled paper can save approximately 17 trees, underscoring the critical role that recycling can play in mitigating the ecological impact of deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management practices.

Landfill Challenges and Pollution

The voluminous amount of paper waste that ends up in landfills presents a two-fold challenge: it occupies valuable land and, as it decomposes, produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Moreover, the financial burden of managing these landfills falls on taxpayers, who often unknowingly subsidize these costs through municipal waste management fees. Reducing paper waste not only conserves landfill space but also diminishes the financial strain on communities working to manage an ever-growing tide of paper and cardboard waste.

Practical Solutions to Reduce Paper Waste

Reducing paper waste aligns with the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling, which are pivotal for creating a sustainable future. It involves not only changing individual behaviors and office practices but also embracing innovative technologies that offer paperless alternatives. 

By taking proactive steps to minimize paper consumption, we can significantly diminish the environmental footprint of our daily activities and contribute to the conservation of natural resources. Moreover, such actions often lead to increased efficiency and cost savings, creating a compelling case for individuals and businesses alike to adjust their paper usage habits.

Mindful Printing

Becoming more mindful about printing can dramatically reduce unnecessary printer paper use. Simple actions such as printing only what is essential or utilizing print preview to avoid mistakes can cut down on office paper waste significantly. In addition to efficient document formatting and advocating for double-sided printing, office settings can promote a culture of mindfulness where each sheet of paper is valued, and printing is approached with intention, not as an automatic reflex.

Embracing the Digital Age

The digital revolution offers a powerful tool in the fight against paper waste. The move toward paperless billing, online subscriptions, and electronic data storage has already shown significant reductions in paper usage. Utilizing cloud-based services and collaborative platforms can not only eliminate the need for physical documents but also increase operational efficiency making the paperless route an attractive option for both environmental and productivity gains.

Creative Reuse and Recycling

Recycling should be a last resort after all efforts to reduce and reuse have been considered. Encouraging creative reuse of old paper, such as using the blank side of printed papers for notes or making multiple use of cardboard boxes, contributes to the reduction of waste. Moreover, when recycling is necessary, doing it properly by ensuring papers are free of contaminants and sorted correctly can maximize the effectiveness of recycling programs and support the industry's shift towards utilizing more post-consumer waste and recycled fiber in new paper production.

The Reel Paper Difference

With its innovative approach, Reel Paper serves as a means to push sustainability in an industry that is often criticized for its environmental impact. By offering bamboo-based and recycled household paper products such as bamboo toilet paper , recycled facial tissues , and sustainable paper towels , Reel Paper provides consumers with high-quality, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional paper products.

This commitment extends beyond just the materials used; our brand’s entire business model is rooted in environmental responsibility and social welfare, including plastic-free packaging and partnerships with initiatives to improve access to clean sanitation worldwide. 

By choosing Reel Paper, customers are not only making a choice that benefits the planet but are also joining a movement that supports global sustainability and hygiene programs, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

References: 

• GHGRP Pulp and Paper | US EPA 2016 URL: https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/ghgrp-pulp-and-paper  
• Pulp & paper | IEA  2023 URL: https://www.iea.org/energy-system/industry/paper  
• Paper Recycling as a Means of Protecting World Forests By Renée Yardley |Sustainable Brands 2019 URL: https://sustainablebrands.com/read/corporate-member-update/paper-recycling-as-a-means-of-protecting-world-forests

Vince Leyson

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How to Reduce Paper Waste

Last Updated: July 9, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Kathryn Kellogg . Kathryn Kellogg is the founder of goingzerowaste.com, a lifestyle website dedicated to breaking eco-friendly living down into a simple step-by-step process with lots of positivity and love. She's the author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste and spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic. There are 17 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 70,605 times.

Paper waste is a major contribution to the total waste at landfills, being approximately 26% of it. [1] X Research source Although paper is biodegradable and trees are continuously planted for global paper consumption every day, there are often more efficient ways of utilizing paper when it comes in handy. This article will teach you some ways to reduce paper waste.

Write on both sides of the paper.

• If you want to use a pen, you could also consider writing lightly with a pencil first since this will avoid making imprints that would require you to discard the page.

Use paperclips instead of staples.

• Paperclips are easily available in most stationery shops, and they may even be cheaper than staples since you won't need to purchase a stapler along with them.

Reuse envelopes and folders by sticking a new label on them.

• You could also simply use some tapes and cover-up names and addresses to make way for a new name and details.
• If you'd like, you can use an old, blank paper that you are not planning to use to make your envelopes .

Reuse paper .

• Use it for packing fragile materials. Used magazines and newspapers are great for packing material. When moving or shipping something, you can use old newspapers to wrap fragile materials.
• Save packaging, coloured paper, and other paper items for arts and crafts projects. Do some research and figure out some craft projects that you could make with your leftover paper products.
• Clean with old paper. You can use newspaper to wipe windows, and you can also dampen newspaper and use it to shine stainless steel appliances.
• Make a fire starter . Paper burns fast, making it a great fire starter, meaning that you can use it in your fireplace or fire pit to get your logs burning.
• Use old magazines to decoupage . Old magazines can be used for a variety of fun decoupaged crafts.
• Make origami out of the paper. Since origami is the art of folding paper, it would be a great way to reuse your paper products.

Use old newspaper to wrap gifts.

• You can also use the newspaper to make a fun gift topper if you'd like. [5] X Research source
• If you don't find any good pictures, simple notebook pages that you decorate can also make gifts look nice.
• You can also save any wrapping paper you have for packing or reusing it later if it is in good shape.

Recycle old paper .

• If there's one further away, consider storing some papers and giving them to the recycling centre every month.
• Recycling only one ton of paper will save 13 trees, 26,500 litres of water, 2.5 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatts per hour of electricity! Paper can also reasonably be recycled five to seven times before getting thrown away. [6] X Research source
• If you want, you can also make your own recycled paper.
• Recycling paper doesn't always mean putting it in the recycling bin. You can turn old paper into origami or scrunch it up into a ball to practice juggling! Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. There are many ways of recycling old paper, and depositing your paper in a recycling bin is merely one way to recycle it.

Think of all the paper articles you use.

• To avoid using more paper, list your activities on a word processor on a computer or smartphone.

Take notes on your computer or smartphone when possible.

• You can also add images to your notes and categorize them if you'd like to use other programs. Another advantage to taking notes online is that in some cases, you can see them from all your devices–mobile phones, tablets, PCs etc.— since many are available on the web and as their own standalone apps.
• You can also consider trying to write your grocery list or figuring out mathematical sums (you could also just use a regular calculator for this) on your computer or smartphone.
• Never write online access codes/credentials, and posting them to these services to avoid risking potential of identity theft, which is a big hazard and a big no-no! Places like Google Drive and Microsoft Word on the Web, are good substitutes.
• Programs such as Evernote and OneNote, Notepad, Textedit, Notepad++ etc. are some examples of cheap note-taking apps (although this might depend on where you live).
• You may still have to use paper if you're taking notes for school and they don't allow you to use a phone or computer, or if you find that taking paper notes helps you remember the material better. If so, consider writing in smaller (yet still readable) handwriting so the notes take up less space.

Send e-mails instead of traditional mail.

• You could also text or call someone as opposed to sending something in the traditional mail if you don't want to email them.
• Even if something needs to be signed, you may still be able to sign it with an electronic signature and e-mail the signed document.
• Consider sending emails to yourself if you really need to send yourself a reminder or something that needs to be written and saved for posterity– that you once might have noted on post-it notes.

Limit how much you print.

• Printed documents tend to get lost. You could end up losing them in a pile of other supplies, or you may simply forget where you placed them. As a result, you may not be able to find the document when you need it.
• They may take up a lot of space. Especially if you have a lot of other things, adding a document to the mix will likely result in more space being used.
• You may forget to bring them along with you. If you need to bring the document somewhere, you may forget it by accident. If the document is saved on a computer, you don't have to worry about bringing it somewhere, since you can simply log on to a computer and find it.

• You can use drive storage programs to save your documents, such as Google Drive or OneDrive, so that they won't get lost and you can access them from any device, anywhere, at any time. With these programs, you'll also likely be able to give and receive feedback on your document easier. [7] X Research source
• Remember what you name all of your files and if you place them in any folders (and if so, the name of the folder). Otherwise, you may not be able to find them when you need them.

• Double-check beforehand to see if your printer allows double-sided printing. If it doesn't, you can still print double-sided manually .
• Using smaller (but still readable) fonts if possible can also be helpful, since what you're printing may not even end up on a second page.

Use recycled paper.

• Check labels to see if a product or its packaging is made from recycled content. Specifically, you'll want to see if you can find what percentage of the paper is recycled (the higher the percentage, the better it is for the environment), and/or an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) seal, since this seal indicates that sustainably-harvested wood fibres were used to make the paper. [10] X Research source
• Some pencils may be made from newspaper or recycled paper— consider writing with these.

Read e-papers instead of buying newspapers.

• You might have to pay a monthly fee for this, but some publications do offer free e-papers.
• If the publication you like to read does not offer an online version, consider referring to other sites for news updates.
• Similarly, instead of purchasing books, consider reading e-books or checking out library books. Some examples of e-readers you can purchase include Amazon Kindles and Nooks, though you may also be able to read e-books on a tablet or smartphone.
• Consider purchasing audiobooks, which can complement eBooks you read without any loss of position.

Use cloth bags instead of paper ones.

• Plastic bags are also not a good choice for the environment, since they are made using petroleum, a finite resource. As it gets more limited, obtaining petroleum causes a larger amount of harm to the environment. They can also be a challenge to recycle, since they often cling onto machines or fly out of recycling bins, thus ending up in oceans, landfills and streets, where they can put wildlife in danger. They also are not typically biodegradable. [12] X Research source
• Cloth bags are a lot more durable than paper bags. Cloth bags can be washed and used multiple times,
• If you don't have a cloth bag, you can make your own .
• When shopping, always carry your own bags. Politely deny taking paper or plastic bags if you are offered them by the mall or store.
• If you need to use a paper bag and it doesn't end up damaged, consider reusing it, as a bag for lunch, for craft projects, or as a trash, recyclables or compost bag. You can also compost your paper bag— simply tear up the bag and put it in your compost pile. [13] X Research source

Buy products with less packaging.

• Carry reusable items whenever possible. This includes not only a reusable bag but also a reusable straw, utensils, and water bottle, to name just a few things. [15] X Research source
• Purchase in bulk whenever you can. Not only can this help to reduce waste from packaging, but it can also save you money. [16] X Research source
• Instead of pre-packaged products, purchase products like vegetables and fruit that are loose. [17] X Research source
• If you're unsure of which brand of a product to purchase, buy the one that does not use as much packaging. [18] X Research source
• Reuse packaging when you can. [19] X Research source You can use packaging for things like craft projects or storage.
• Consider using websites such as Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, or Craigslist if you need an item. You may be able to find what you need on there [20] X Research source , and it may use less packaging.

Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.

• If you need to use paper napkins, look for ones that were made using recycled paper. [22] X Research source

Avoid paper dinnerware and cups.

• Reusable dinnerware can also typically be used a lot more than disposable dinnerware.
• Recently, many people have started using edible dinnerware, too. It is made from seaweed and not genetically modified. If you don't want to buy real dinnerware, this is another option for what you can purchase.

• Furthermore, many paper cups have a plastic liner which many recycling programs do not accept (though check with yours—it may be accepted).
• When you go out, remember to always keep a reusable cup with you. Some companies (such as Starbucks) may be able to pour your drink into your reusable cup, so be sure to ask. [24] X Research source

Spread the word about reducing paper waste.

• You can talk about the statistics of how much paper is wasted, how much energy is saved when recycling, how many trees are saved by recycling, and any other facts about paper waste you know.
• Give them ideas on what they can do to help. This can be done by telling them what you do to help, and by giving them other ideas that you've found through research or in this article.
• Explain everything properly and avoid rushing through the discussion. You'll also want to be prepared to answer any questions they may have.
• If you notice them wasting paper, be patient with them and explain why the wasting of paper is harmful to the environment, as well as what they can do to reduce paper waste.
• If you see that a business is constantly wasting paper (either by using too many paper bags or too much paper packaging), consider writing to them and politely asking if they can use recycled paper or go paperless if possible.
• Consider a donation to organizations that are known for their efforts to reduce paper waste and/or are known to make an effort to use as little paper as possible. You can find some good organizations to potentially donate to on Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau .

Community Q&A

• Working online frequently may cause eye strain. If you notice that your eyes feel strained, try some steps to relieve eye strain . If your symptoms are severe, contact an ophthalmologist. Try avoiding eye strain to be safe in the first place. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about recycling, check out our in-depth interview with Kathryn Kellogg .

• ↑ https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/paper-waste-facts
• ↑ https://www.visionofearth.org/live-green/31-ways-to-reduce-paper-usage/
• ↑ https://doitgreen.org/tips/reduce-paper-waste-office/
• ↑ https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/wrapping-christmas-presents-with-newspaper-essay-48059448
• ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/05/at-home/wrapping-activity.html
• ↑ https://www.cutterskiphire.com.au/10-interesting-recycling-facts-that-will-surprise-you-and-what-you-can-do/
• ↑ https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/paper-waste-reduction/
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/print-on-both-sides-of-the-paper-duplex-printing-in-word-2cd60d2f-3a57-4210-96ac-9a6ca71ca7a3
• ↑ https://www.indiawaterportal.org/opportunities/advantages-recycling-paper
• ↑ https://www.greenamerica.org/save-trees/how-to-identify-better-paper
• ↑ https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
• ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
• ↑ https://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Paper/Alternatives.html
• ↑ https://www.everydayhealth.com/green-health/daily-living/tips/paper-or-plastic.aspx
• ↑ https://www.greenmatters.com/p/will-starbucks-fill-reusable-cup

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Facts About Paper Waste: 7 Ways To Reduce Your Waste June 14, 2021 · Maria Harutyunyan

Wrapping paper, books, paintings, maps of the world. All of these items are made using paper. But for all their important use cases comes a footprint as well. A footprint that was a lot more sustainable when there were far fewer human beings on the earth. There are eight billion people and rising, which has changed things. Below, we take a look at just how big the footprint of paper waste really is.

Paper Waste: The Facts & Statistics

• The paper industry creates the third largest amount of greenhouse gasses in Canada. In the US it is the sixth largest producer of greenhouse emissions.
• Around 40% of all deforestation is caused by the paper and pulp industries.
• Paper production causes significant amounts of air pollution. In the US in 2015, it was the second largest cause of air pollution by industry.
• It takes over 13 liters of water (or three gallons) to make a single piece of A4 paper.
• Over 380 gallons of oil is used to produce a single ton of paper.
• On average, office workers were printing fifty unnecessary pieces of paper every day less than just 15 years ago.
• Around 26% of the material at landfills is waste paper.

Toilet Paper Wastage

Approximately 27,000 trees are cut down every day just to make toilet paper. Over seven billion rolls of toilet paper are sold in America alone each year. This amounts to around 141 rolls per person , or 12.7 kilograms (28 lbs.) of paper. Comparable figures can be found in many major European countries. In Germany, they use 134 rolls per person every year. Similarly, in the UK it’s 127 rolls per person annually. Clearly, this is an unsustainable practice.

That being said, many other countries do a better job at paper usage and wastage. This is often due to the use of alternative hygiene practices, such as bidets. To lessen this environmentally devastating practice, more people need to adopt similar approaches.

What To Do To Reduce The Paper Waste

1. Recycle All Paper Waste

The most urgent step that needs to be taken is to start recycling all paper wastes. The more that can be recycled, the more trees that can be saved. Given the worrying rate of our planet’s deforestation, this is a vital adjustment. It will also reduce the levels of air and water pollution that the process of making paper creates.

2. Go Paperless - Review & Store Documents Digitally

In the long term, it’s vital that everyone makes the switch from paper to digital documents. Before you print anything out, consider whether you really need a physical copy. In most cases, you can now just rely on e-documents. Books can be read on kindles, phones, or tablets. E-tickets can be used for many public modes of transportation. Wherever possible, stick to a digital rather than a paper document. This will dramatically reduce paper wasting.

3. Use Recycled Paper At Home And In The Office

In the rare instances where you do need to print out documents, only use recycled paper. This way, at the very least you’ll not be contributing to deforestation. Try to encourage your place of work to only purchase recycled paper too.

4. Use Both Sides When Printing & Copying

Relatedly, when you can’t avoid printing or copying, be sure to use both sides of the paper. While this may seem unimportant, doing this halves the amount of paper you use. Over the long term, this can save large amounts of paper from being wasted.

5. Adjust Fonts & Formatting To Limit Wasted Space

Another way to reduce the volume of paper you use when printing and copying is to adjust the typography. Pick a font that reads well even when small, and then lower its size as much as possible. Thereafter, adjust the margins so that they’re narrower. It will allow you to fit more content onto each individual page.

6. Reuse Paper Whenever Possible

Once a paper document has served its purpose, don’t immediately send it to the recycling bin. You can repurpose it first, thereby getting more use out of it. For instance, you can use it to take minutes during a meeting. If you enjoy drawing, use it as a blank canvas for your art. Just still be sure you do recycle the paper once you’re completely finished with it.

7. Buy Products With The Least Packaging

Always look for the products that come with the least amount of packaging. There are now plenty of companies that are environmentally conscious. As such, they’ll try to limit the waste their products will create. It’s also a good idea to buy products in higher volumes where possible. This cuts down on the overall amount of packaging over time.

Paper Waste: Solving The Problem

As this article has demonstrated, the world is facing a serious problem with paper waste. This is contributing to the climate crisis through deforestation and pollution. If we carry on at the current rate, we risk causing irreparable damage.

However, there are things people can do to alleviate these problems. By following the steps above, you’ll be going some way towards helping divert a catastrophe. Consider getting a bidet instead of using toilet paper, switching to digital documents instead of paper ones, and always reuse and recycle paper.

By following these simple guidelines, we’ll dramatically reduce our paper use. Let’s save the world together, starting with less paper wasted.

Paper Recycling: Process, Types, and Benefits

Image Credit: alterfalter / Shutterstock.com

The global production of paper and cardboard totals more than  400 million metric tons  each year, with the United States and China being the two largest paper-producing countries in the world.

Demand for waste paper products comes at an environmental cost. Indeed, it’s estimated that between  four and eight billion trees  are cut down for paper production every year, with each American consuming the equivalent of 3.6 trees in the same period.

Through comprehensive and efficient recycling efforts, it’s possible to reduce the carbon footprint of the paper industry. Thanks to technological innovations, consumer awareness surrounding sustainability issues, and more effective supply chain management, paper recycling is more efficient, effective, and scalable than ever. In fact, paper is one of the most widely recycled materials in the world.

What is the paper recycling process, and what are the current challenges associated?

What Is Paper Recycling?

Paper recycling refers to the process of turning waste paper into new paper products. In the paper recycling industry, this recovered paper is often called “paper stock.”

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Guides for Environmental Marketing Claims, a paper product  can be classified as “recycled ” only if it contains 100% recovered fiber. If the recovered fiber content is anything less than 100%, the paper product should be referred to as “recycled-content” paper.

The Process of Paper Recycling

Waste paper is typically recycled at a paper mill or materials recovery facility. The paper recycled at these plants undergoes a six-step process.

1. Collection and Transportation

Different entities — households, schools, businesses, and industrial manufacturers — gather and store paper scraps and waste.

Recyclers collect these materials from various pick-up points, such as paper scrap yards and trash cans, before depositing acceptable materials into larger containers for transport to a materials recovery facility (MRF).

Waste paper contaminated with grease, food, and other chemicals cannot be recycled and will be diverted to landfills before being sent to an MRF.

In addition, some recycling facilities will not accept shredded paper since it is easily caught in machinery, resulting in production line shutdowns or delays.

Once the waste paper reaches a recycling plant, they are graded for quality (cleanliness and type) and sorted into different categories. Some waste paper will be discarded and sent to a landfill at this stage.

This step is vital as different grades, colors, finishes, and coatings require different recycling techniques and determine which new paper products can be manufactured.

3. Shredding and Pulping

Once sorted into categories, the recyclable paper is sent to paper mills for shredding and pulping.

The paper is shredded into small scraps before mixed with water and chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, and sodium silicate. This separates the paper fibers, resulting in a mushy solution of oatmeal consistency known as pulp.

4. Screening

At this point, the paper pulp is passed through a series of screens containing holes of different shapes and sizes. This ensures that large contaminants, such as paper clips, staples, and tape, are removed.

5. De-Inking and Floatation

Once large contaminants have been removed, the paper pulp is placed inside a floatation tank.

Here, additional chemicals and bubbles are added, which work to remove dyes and inks from the pulp and enhance the purity and whiteness of the recycled product.

To produce a bright white printer paper, small amounts of blue and black dyes can be added. Other colors of dye can also be added to create colored paper.

The pulp consists of 99% water and just 1% paper fibers at this stage.

To dry it out, the pulp is passed over press rollers, which remove a lot of excess water, before passing over a heated metal roller, eventually forming long rolls of continuous sheets. The sheets are trimmed and rolled before being sent out to manufacturers to be made into usable products.

Recyclable Paper Products

Paper products for recycling can be divided into three categories:

• Mill Broke:  This refers to paper cuttings and scraps left behind while manufacturing paper products, which are unsuitable for use in end-products. These materials are often reused in the paper-making process.
• Pre-Consumer Waste : These are paper materials from surplus or damaged products that are recovered and processed in a recycling center before ever reaching an end customer.
• Post-Consumer Fibers (PCF) : These are paper products that have been sold to an end customer to serve their original purpose before being recovered and processed in a recycling facility. Some examples of PCFs include old newspapers, paper towels, printer paper, magazines, envelopes, paper bags, and cardboard packaging.

Benefits Associated with Recycling Paper

Some of the benefits of recycling paper include:

1. Reduces Landfill Waste

When more consumers and organizations recycle paper, less waste is sent to landfills. Indeed, it’s estimated that  1.4 billion trees end up in landfills  yearly due to product packaging and other forms of waste paper.

2. Conserves Natural Resources

Recycling dramatically reduces the number of trees and amount of water used by the paper industry, thus preserving some of the natural resources the planet so heavily relies upon.

3. Saves Energy

The paper-production industry is water and energy-intensive. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that  recycling one ton of paper saves  380 gallons of oil, 7,000 gallons of water, and enough energy to power the average American home for up to six months.

4. Cuts Costs

Paper recycling promises several cost benefits to organizations. Firstly, diverging paper from landfills reduces business waste costs.

Secondly, organizations with comprehensive recycling initiatives may receive tax credits from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Finally, eco-conscious consumers are more likely to engage and re-engage with organizations that prioritize sustainable business practices.

5. Smaller Carbon Footprint

Paper and pulp production was responsible for  an estimated 190 Mt  of carbon dioxide emissions in 2021. This represented around 2% of all emissions and was a historic high for the industry.

Given that paper production is projected to increase in the coming years, it’s imperative to drive more sustainable processes.

6. Can Be Recycled Several Times

While some materials, including shrink-wrap plastic and used cooking oil, can only be recycled two or three times, recovered paper can be repurposed between five and seven times before the fibers become too weak for reuse.

Challenges Associated with Recycling Paper

There are some challenges to paper recycling.

1. Contamination

Cardboard and paper products contaminated with grease, moisture, mold, or food debris cannot be recycled.

Unfortunately, contaminated items are frequently sent to paper mills or recycling plants because people assume they can be repurposed. Not only does this create additional sorting work, but good quality waste papers are also contaminated.

2. Low-Quality Paper

Though paper products can be recycled between five and seven times, the fibers degrade a little more with each round, which leads to a decline in essential qualities like strength and weight. Once a recycled paper product is considered unusable, it will be sent to landfills.

In addition, low-grade paper waste can only produce low-grade recycled products. This means it is not possible to manufacture bright-white, high-quality office paper from mixed paper waste, which might include everything from brown paper bags and old corrugated containers to egg cartons and paper plates.

3. High Water and Energy Use

The recycling process  results in 44% less  greenhouse gas emissions, produces 53% less wastewater, and results in 39% less solid waste than the production of virgin paper fiber.

However, paper recycling is still reasonably energy and water intensive. To produce one ton of recycled paper takes about 22 million BTUs.

4. High Costs

A carefully managed paper recycling program can be more cost-effective than other methods of waste disposal. However, establishing such a scheme takes time, investment, and expertise — things many organizations simply don’t have.

In addition, existing recycling systems must be set up for maximum efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In the United States, for example, many cities use single-stream recycling, which means all waste materials are collected and transported in the same containers. While this results in less hassle for consumers and businesses, it is much more expensive and time-consuming to extract and sort paper waste.

Paper Recycling in the Supply Chain

In recent years, the paper production and recycling industries have faced several supply chain challenges.

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 led to factory closures, materials shortages, and shipping delays, which halted production and drove up prices.

Soon after, the shipping container crisis saw U.S. paper waste and other recyclables bound for developing nations losing space to more valuable product shipments. This made it more difficult for organizations to efficiently and cost-effectively recycle their paper products and exacerbated an existing problem. China had already imposed a ban on trash imports, including recyclables, which went into effect in 2018. Before the ban, China was the largest consumer of global waste paper, importing almost half of the world’s paper waste.

The pandemic also resulted in a sudden rise in e-commerce, sparking a huge demand for paper-based packing materials. In response, many U.S. paper mills prioritized the production of cardboard to meet this shift in demand, which resulted in shortages of paper.

Innovations in Paper Recycling Technology

Technological advancements are enabling a more efficient and more sustainable paper recycling process.

Georgia-Pacific’s first commercial recycling center, for example, is using  Juno Technology  to process waste and recover and sanitize valuable raw materials. This breakthrough waste recovery technology can recover up to 90% of materials — including waste paper — it processes, thus diverting them from landfills and incinerators.

Meanwhile, the Japanese electronics company, Epson, has developed the world’s first office papermaking and recycling machine, the PaperLab. The 200-square-foot paper recycling system can recycle a sheet of inked-up paper within three minutes. As well as eliminating the usual transportation footprint, which includes the collection and shipping of waste paper and recycled products, the machine uses a water-free, three-step process.

Other developments in sorting, deinking, bleaching, and pulping are resulting in better-quality recycled paper products.

The Future of Paper Recycling

Despite challenges relating to cost, contamination, and the supply chain, a large proportion of waste paper and cardboard is recycled in the United States.

According to the American Forest & Paper Association (AFPA), the paper recycling rate has met  or exceeded 63%  since 2009, which is particularly impressive considering just 33.5% was recycled in 1990. At  91.4% , the rate of cardboard recycling is especially high.

Several factors are supporting the industry’s continued growth and success.

Firstly, effective recycling programs are more widely available. Indeed, it’s estimated that  94% of Americans  have access to community recycling programs

Secondly, large investments are being made in recycling infrastructure. The AFPA states that  $5 billion in investments , planned or announced for 2019-2024, will use 7.8 million tons of recycled fiber.

Thirdly, new technologies that enhance the recycling process enable fast production of better-quality and sustainable recycled products.

Finally, the paper industry is working hard to develop initiatives that encourage consumers and businesses to recycle paper. The AFPA, for example, has developed a tool that helps manufacturers produce sustainable packaging and meet their sustainability goals. It’s evident that initiatives like this are paying off. In 2020,  80% of all paper mills in the U.S.  used recycled paper to create new products.

If the world could reduce its dependency on paper products, the environment would certainly benefit. Effective, efficient, and sustainable paper recycling is the next best thing.

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Essay on Waste Management for Students and Teacher

500+ essay on waste management.

Essay on Waste Management -Waste management is essential in today’s society. Due to an increase in population, the generation of waste is getting doubled day by day. Moreover, the increase in waste is affecting the lives of many people.

For instance, people living in slums are very close to the waste disposal area. Therefore there are prone to various diseases. Hence, putting their lives in danger. In order to maintain a healthy life, proper hygiene and sanitation are necessary. Consequently, it is only possible with proper waste management .

The Meaning of Waste Management

Waste management is the managing of waste by disposal and recycling of it. Moreover, waste management needs proper techniques keeping in mind the environmental situations. For instance, there are various methods and techniques by which the waste is disposed of. Some of them are Landfills, Recycling , Composting, etc. Furthermore, these methods are much useful in disposing of the waste without causing any harm to the environment.

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Methods for Waste Management

Recycling – Above all the most important method is the recycling of waste. This method does not need any resources. Therefore this is much useful in the management of waste . Recycling is the reusing of things that are scrapped of. Moreover, recycling is further converting waste into useful resources.

Landfills – Landfills is the most common method for waste management. The garbage gets buried in large pits in the ground and then covered by the layer of mud. As a result, the garbage gets decomposed inside the pits over the years. In conclusion, in this method elimination of the odor and area taken by the waste takes place.

Composting – Composting is the converting of organic waste into fertilizers. This method increases the fertility of the soil. As a result, it is helpful in more growth in plants. Furthermore it the useful conversion of waste management that is benefiting the environment.

Advantages of Waste Management

There are various advantages of waste management. Some of them are below:

Decrease bad odor – Waste produces a lot of bad odor which is harmful to the environment. Moreover, Bad odor is responsible for various diseases in children. As a result, it hampers their growth. So waste management eliminates all these problems in an efficient way.

Reduces pollution – Waste is the major cause of environmental degradation. For instance, the waste from industries and households pollute our rivers. Therefore waste management is essential. So that the environment may not get polluted. Furthermore, it increases the hygiene of the city so that people may get a better environment to live in.

Reduces the production of waste -Recycling of the products helps in reducing waste. Furthermore, it generates new products which are again useful. Moreover, recycling reduces the use of new products. So the companies will decrease their production rate.

It generates employment – The waste management system needs workers. These workers can do various jobs from collecting to the disposing of waste. Therefore it creates opportunities for the people that do not have any job. Furthermore, this will help them in contributing to society.

Produces Energy – Many waste products can be further used to produce energy. For instance, some products can generate heat by burning. Furthermore, some organic products are useful in fertilizers. Therefore it can increase the fertility of the soil.

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Essay on Waste Management

List of essay on waste management in english, essay on waste management – essay 1 (250 words), essay on waste management: with concepts – essay 2 (300 words), essay on waste management: significance and conclusion – essay 3 (400 words), essay on waste management: with methods and conclusion – essay 4 (500 words), essay on waste management: introduction, methods and importance – essay 5 (600 words), essay on waste management: with advantages and disadvantages – essay 6 (750 words), essay on waste management in india – essay 7 (1000 words).

Introduction:

Due to impacts of environmental pollution, people have been more cautious on waste disposal. Waste management involves processes of collection, transportation and disposal of wastes. Depending on the different types and nature of wastes, their management differs.

Types of Wastes:

Wastes are classified into different types based on the physical appearance. Liquid wastes are liquid in nature, solid wastes are solid and organic wastes are organic in nature. Waste management for liquid wastes is different from solid and organic wastes. Wastes are also classified based on the degree of harm like hospital wastes are classified as infectious, highly infectious and general wastes.

The Process of Waste Management:

Waste management begins from the point of collection. It is necessary to segregate wastes from the point of collection so that the process becomes easier. The transportation of wastes is the next step and it is different for liquid, solid, organic, hazardous and infectious wastes. Disposal of wastes is the final step in waste management whereby incineration, burying, recycling and treatment of wastes is done.

Importance of Waste Management:

Waste management is aimed at protection of the environment and to enhance the safety of surrounding environment for humans and animals. Hazardous wastes are disposed far from reach of humans and animals to prevent harm. Environmental pollution is a major public health issue that is prevented by proper waste management because fewer wastes end up in the environment. Recycling as a waste management process enables saving of resources and prevention of accumulation of wastes.

Waste management in an efficient way is a necessary step to be taken in this developing world. With all the growth in hands, improper disposal of waste and carelessness have created many forms of consequences and inconveniences among us. Waste management means the proper processing and management of different types of wastes, from the time it is disposed of.

Wastes that are produced by human activities are nowadays disposed irresponsibly on roadsides, unused lands, etc. Lack of proper treatment of such wastes creates many problems like a bad odor, harmful disease-causing germs spread all over the place and more. Most commonly domestic wastes are being thrown like this by the people.

Waste Management Concepts:

Waste management starts with the collection of waste from the source itself. Transportation of such collected waste is another important factor. Once the waste is carefully transported to appropriate places suitable for disposal, then comes the processing and proper disposal stage of waste management.

However, there are many other important aspects of waste management. One of them is the three R’s concept: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Reducing the production of waste by controlling excess use of products, and also by the reduction of sources while the product is manufactured, will help in the waste management. Use more eco-friendly items so that they can be disposed of easily without polluting our environment.

Reuse is another concept of waste management in which the product instead of being disposed of should be reused in a more creative way. Waste management also means using a product till it completely becomes unusable to avoid excess waste disposal.

Recycle is the concept of converting the waste into the raw material so that they can be used again for the manufacturing process. This method of waste management will reduce the cost of production, pollution and will be of better quality.

Production of unwanted materials should be reduced to help in creating a better waste management hierarchy. We humans should be more careful in using and disposing of products after its use.

Waste Management is the systematic collection of wastes and its disposal. It includes proper recycling of collected wastes and generation of renewable energy from it. Waste management is the recent initiative taken by countries at local, national and international levels to care about planet earth. It is the responsible act to provide good environment for the present and future generations.

Significance:

In human history, waste management has become necessary after inventions and industrializations. Prior to industrialization, simple burying was sufficient to handle wastes, as they were mostly biodegradable. Equipment’s, utensils, tools etc., were passed down from generation to generation, as mass production was unknown in those days. But with industrialization and increase in population along with the indulgence for recreation, more than manageable wastes are getting produced day by day. Since, these wastes pose serious threat to health and environment, waste management has become one of the priority issues of the century.

Sources & Treatment:

Solid, liquid, and organic wastes are produced starting from homes to business establishments and industries. Each type of waste originated from these sources has different methods to systematically collect, transport, treat and properly dispose without affecting the environment. Apart from common wastes, there are also hazardous wastes that require special treatment. Hence, waste management plays an important role in the society to effectively handle these wastes.

Residential Waste Management:

Residential wastes consists about 65% of the trash generated from everyday activities. These are collected from door to door and segregated before disposal to landfills. The biodegradable organic wastes are composted and reused as manure. The non-biodegradable wastes like rigid plastic containers, glass, tin and aluminium metal cans are recycled for new use. The use of non-recyclable plastic bags and polystyrene foams cups have been reduced in the recent days and even banned by some local Governments. Electronic and other hazardous wastes require proper disposal through vendors, who specialize in their recycle process.

Business Waste Management:

Apart from the common wastes listed out under the residential category, business houses generate additional waste specific to their industries. They include construction debris, pesticides, automotive parts, electronics, pharmaceutical and medical wastes, etc. Relevant waste management techniques are included as part of their processes to sustain the environment.

Industrial Waste Management:

The challenges of waste management are higher for oil and gas, refineries and petrochemical industries, etc. Starting from construction of pipelines or production facilities to the end-dumps of processes, the challenges faced by them are manifold. Proper collection and disposal methods are introduced at every level for efficient waste management. These methods form part of their daily routine and are monitored by local authorities.

Tagline for Waste Management:

The best waste management tagline propagated the world over is 3Rs namely – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. At the first level, waste management would be effective if all individuals, corporates and industries take care to reduce their use of things. Secondly, if everyone could creatively find means to reuse the things that would contribute significantly to the waste management efforts. The final and important emphasis is on use of recyclable things, so that they do not end in landfills. Incineration of landfills, as a method of waste management, should be the last resort, as they cause air pollution.

Conclusion:

The Governments and Stakeholders in developed and developing countries have seriously taken up the cause of creating awareness on waste management. Through various media, the message is communicated to reach the communities. Stringent measures are also taken up by them against defaulters in businesses and industries. At a personal level, we need to be motivated to care for waste management in every activity of our daily living. This consciousness is required to guarantee the success of ambitious goals set by stakeholders.

The complete procedure of controlling, handling, storage, transporting, reprocessing and discarding of industrial, human and environmental waste is known as waste management. Waste management is a worldwide subject; however, its consequences are more noticeable in emerging nations.

Solid waste management that is a quite huge task is becoming more complex with growth in overpopulation, suburbanization, social and economic growth, commercialization, etc. Official insubstantiality, economic limits and public approach in the direction of waste management has converted the problem into the worse.

Methods of Waste Management:

The following are the common methods of waste management:

Incineration:

Under this method of waste management, public solid wastes get buried for converting them into heat, residue, steam, ash, and gases. It decreases the amount of solid waste by around 31% of the actual quantity.

Discarding garbage and waste inside the landfills is one of the most known methods of waste management. Under this method, the problems like dangers and odor of the garbage are eradicated. The compost is buried on the locations of the landfill. Today the landfills are also considered as the reason for global warming and that is the reason that numerous nations are thinking again about the use of landfills.

Composting:

Composting is a process of bio-degradation of waste management in which the organic waste i.e., leftovers of floras and pantry waste are transformed into the nourishment for floras. This technique is utilized for organic-agriculture which also increases the productiveness of the soil.

In this method of waste management, the waste items are reprocessed for using again. The waste things are reprocessed for taking out the resources or transforming into energies like heat, electricity, fuel.

Anaerobic Digestion:

Anaerobic digestion is the method of waste management which decays biological materials with the help of organic procedures. It utilizes the germs-free surroundings and oxygen for decaying. Composting needs air to help in the development of bacteria.

Waste Minimization:

It is the simplest way of waste management that helps in creating less amount of waste. The declination of waste can be performed by anybody by decreasing the waste formation and reprocessing and recycling the old resources. The usage of ecological products and decreasing the usage of paper, plastic, etc., is essential. The public contribution has a straight influence on the system of waste management.

Waste to Energy:

Under this procedure of waste management, non-biodegradable wastage is transformed into the sources of energy like fuel, heat, or electricity. All of these are renewable energy sources since the non-biodegradable wastage might be utilized for creating energy repeatedly.

Pyrolysis and Gasification:

These two techniques of waste management are utilized for decomposing the organic leftover materials by divulging it to little quantity of oxygen and elevated the temperature. There is no usage of oxygen in the procedure of pyrolysis and a very small amount of oxygen is utilized in the procedure of gasification.

The organizations that are working for the environment have created numerous methods that deal in waste management. The usage of new innovative technologies for handling and disposing of solid waste also helps in the direction of waste management.

Waste Management is arising as a major problem in almost all countries. In order to have a healthy life and a clean environment, managing of waste materials is very important. Imparting knowledge on waste management is the need of the hour. So, what is meant by waste management?

Waste Management refers to the process of removing waste and this includes each and every processes right from the collection of waste materials, transporting it, treating them and its disposal. Key factors such as increase in population, industrialization, urbanization etc., add to the excess generation of wastes. The percentage of waste generated is high compared to the percentage of disposal. Although waste management is a global issue, the worst affected are the developing countries.

There are different types of waste produced such as industrial waste, agricultural waste, house hold waste, waste from health care centers, organic waste and toxic wastes. These wastes are also in different forms such as solid, liquid and gas. The method of waste management differs according to the type of waste materials.

In modern methods of waste management, importance is given not only to clear waste but to convert them into useful substances.

Some of the common methods of clearing waste are stated below:

i. The most common method of disposing waste is throwing them in landfills which is then buried. This is one of the oldest techniques and this method helps in the removal of bad odor. But many countries are currently reconsidering this method as landfills are found to increase global warming.

ii. Recycling is one of the best method for waste management. In this process, waste materials are recycled and energy resources like fuel, electricity etc., are generated.

iii. Composting is another process where waste materials are turned into useful manures. This method is also called the bio-degradation process where the kitchen waste and remains of plants and trees are again converted into manure for plants. The fertility of soil is improved by this process.

iv. Organic waste materials are decomposed by two methods namely Gasification and Pyrolysis . In the Gasification process of waste management, waste materials are exposed to low amount of oxygen and high temperature and in Pyrolysis method no oxygen is used.

v. Non-recyclable waste materials are also converted into fuel, heat or electricity.

Apart from all the above methods, there is one simple method that can be practiced by everyone to reduce waste. Yes, the best way to reduce waste is to create less waste.

Why Waste Management is Important?

Waste management is very important to preserve the health of living beings and also to create a strong environment for the future generation.

Waste Management helps in reducing pollution and by adapting to efficient waste management techniques, emission of gases like Carbon dioxide and Methane from wastes can be reduced to a large extent.

Waste Management helps in the prevention of contagious diseases .

We saw that recycling is a method of waste management and it has a lot of benefits. When products are recycled, there is no need to produce new products which saves raw materials. The energy consumption will also be much less.

Waste Management is a big industry as it contains various stages and procedures. Human resources are required in large numbers at every stage. Thus waste management as an industry creates several job opportunities . People with less education and skilled labor can also be utilized in high number in this sector.

Waste management is insisted so much because our planet Earth has already started facing the consequences of dumping tons of garbage. The governments and the local civic bodies must create new strategies to reduce waste and should also create awareness among people on the benefits of using eco-friendly products.

Waste management is basically the management of every of the activities that involves waste starting from the collection of waste to the transportation of waste t where it is finally disposed. Waste management is extremely important for the healthy and sound functioning of us humans and our environment. Wastes are generated on an exponential rate when compared with the rate at which we dispose waste. We generate a lot of various types of waste including liquid, gaseous and solid wastes. All the different forms of wastes that are produced undergo a lot of various processes employed in the management of waste. When waste is managed efficiently and effectively, the environment would be healthy and safe for all of us.

Some of the many activities that are involved in the management of waste include transporting, collecting, supervising, handling, discarding and the regulating of the waste and all the other procedures involved in the management of waste. Our environment would be totally unimaginable with wastes everywhere spreading various diseases and causing serious damage to our environment. When the management of waste is done consistently, the many benefits to the environment can be very immense.

Advantages of Waste Management:

1. Waste management helps in keeping the environment very clean:

When we carry out the management of waste, we help in keeping our environment very clean and all of us as persons should do our very best to keep our immediate and non-immediate environment clean in order to achieve the ultimate goal of a clean environment. A unit of waste management collects waste materials and garbage from different places in the public and then transport the collected waste materials and garbage to sites of landfill and other forms of disposal systems and units that are used for its disposal. The different gases and odours that are emitted by the garbage and wastes are removed before the disposal and this makes the entire process result in a very clean environment.

2. Waste management conserves energy:

Recycling is a very important part of waste management. The recycling of all the various products and items helps in the reduction of use of raw materials for the creation of new items and products. Energy conservation also occurs during recycling since the recycling of goods uses less energy than the creation of entirely new goods from raw materials.

3. Waste management helps in the reduction of air pollution:

Global warming and air pollution can be reduced through the help of waste management. The intensity and the levels of gases like methane and carbon dioxide that are emitted and released from waste into the atmosphere are reduced through the help of waste management.

4. Employment opportunities are generated through waste management:

A large quantity of manpower and skill is needed for the various processes involved in waste management. Starting with the collection of the waste to where it is disposed, a lot of job opportunities are created through the management of waste.

5. Waste management encourages sustainability in resources use:

The process and system of the management of waste highly minimises the use of resources and energy. The use and employment of resources in an efficient way is encouraged by the life-cycle concept of waste management.

6. Health: If human beings are exposed to waste, the health of humans can be affected negatively and can result in a lot of diseases and illness. As we all know, activities carried out in the management of waste include waste collection from different landfills and the transportation of waste to places where they can be safely disposed without causing any harm to our health.

7. Waste management helps keep the future generation in mind:

By managing our waste properly we are providing the future generation with a clean environment and a very strong economy.

Disadvantages of Waste Management:

1. Finance:

Waste management on a large can require a lot of man power and technology to be carried out successfully. There is the need for planning and implementation of the many processes and activities involved in the management of waste. Also, a lot of varieties of waste need to managed and there is the need for different methods of waste management for the different types of wastes; this means a higher cost for the management of waste.

2. Health of Workers:

The management of wastes and all of the processes involved can lead to a number of fungal and bacterial infections and diseases on the part of those working in the waste management sector.

Waste management techniques have been in place ever since man learnt to live in communities and settle at one place. However, with the growing population, technologies and urbanisation, we have not been able to upkeep the waste management methods and thus this has created a problem of large dumping of wastes which are a cause of concern as on date.

Waste Management System in India:

Waste management in India depends on the standards of sustainable development, polluter pace and precaution. These standards make the regions and business foundations to act in an earth responsible and a mindful way by re-establishing the ecological balance, their activities in any manner upset it. The expansion in a waste generation as a side-effect of financial advancement has prompted different subordinate enactments for directing the way of transfer and waste management has been made under the Environment Protection Act (EPA) enacted in the year 1986. Explicit types of waste come under different rules and require separate compliances, for the most part in the idea of authorisations, upkeep of records and proper disposable mechanisms.

Waste Generation Statistics in India:

With quick urbanization, the nation is confronting monstrous waste management challenge. More than 377 million urban individuals live in 7,935 towns and urban areas and create 62 million tons of metropolitan strong waste per annum. Just 43 million tons (MT) of the waste is gathered, 11.9 MT is dealt with and 31 MT is dumped in landfill destinations. Strong Waste Management (SWM) is one among the fundamental thing administrations given by city experts in the nation to keep urban focuses clean. However, in a bid to keep the urban areas clean of waste, most of the municipal bodies dump large amounts of waste on the outskirts of the cities. As per specialists, India is following a defective arrangement of waste management and there is a strong need to correct it.

Effective Waste Management:

The way to effective waste management is to guarantee legitimate isolation of waste at source and to guarantee that the waste is recycled as much as possible and recovery of resources is done in a proper manner. In that case, the final waste is quite less and can be dumped at the landfills. Sanitary landfills are definitive methods for transfer for unutilised metropolitan strong waste from the waste of offices and different kinds of inorganic waste that can’t be recycled. However, the transportation of the waste to far away landfill sites is a costly affair.

Report by IIT Kanpur on Waste Management:

A report by IIT Kanpur in the year 2006 found the capability of reuse of at least 15 per cent or 15,000 MT of waste generated each day in the nation. This, the report stated, could likewise give work chances to around 500,000 rag pickers. The report included that in spite of monstrous potential in huge urban areas around there, cooperation from the community is restricted.

Waste Management Processing:

There have been mechanical headway for handling, treatment and transfer of waste in the last few years. Vitality from waste is a critical component of SWM on the grounds that it lessens the volume of waste from transfer likewise helps in changing over the loss into a sustainable power source and natural compost. In a perfect world, it falls in the stream graph after isolation, accumulation, reusing and before getting to the landfill. However, the irony of the situation is that many wastes to energy plants in India are not working to their maximum capacity.

Better Ways Ahead to Waste Management:

Establishment of waste-to-compost and bio-methanation plants would lessen the heap of landfill sites. The biodegradable part of India’s strong waste is at present assessed at a little more than 50 per cent. Bio-methanation is an answer to handling biodegradable waste which likewise remains underexploited. It is trusted that on the off chance that we isolate biodegradable waste from the rest, it could lessen the difficulties considerably. E-waste parts contain poisonous materials and are non-biodegradable which present both word related and ecological wellbeing dangers including harmful smoke from reusing procedures and draining from e-waste in a landfill into neighbourhood water tables.

Around 100 urban communities are set to be created as keen urban areas. Urban bodies need to redraw long-haul vision in strong waste management and modify their methodologies according to evolving ways of life. They ought to re-evaluate waste management techniques in urban communities so we can process waste and not just dump it. To do this, families and organizations must segregate their waste at source so it could be overseen as an asset.

Waste Management Rules in Place:

Bio-restorative waste rules, 1998 recommend that there ought to be a Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) at every 150 kms in the nation. CBWTFs have been set up and are working in urban areas and towns. In any case, the foundation of utilitarian CBWTF all through the nation must be guaranteed. Incorporated basic dangerous waste management offices consolidate anchored landfill sites, cementing/adjustment and burning to treat risky squanders produced by different modern units. They contribute about 97.8 per cent of aggregate landfill waste and 88 per cent of aggregate hazardous waste created in the nation.

We all need to contribute towards effective waste management in our country. The government has also identified some plans to get rid of landfill sites in 20 urban cities. There is no extra land for dumping waste, the current ones are already over utilised. It is accounted for that right around 80 per cent of the waste at Delhi landfill locales could be reused given the fact that community bodies begin enabling rag pickers to segregate waste at source and reuse it. Manure pits ought to be developed in each territory to process natural waste. Network cooperation has an immediate bearing on effective waste management. Recuperation of e-waste is appallingly low, we have to support reusing of e-waste on a substantial scale level with the goal that issue of e-waste disposal is managed. We all must ensure that we segregate all types of waste at source and help the government in the effective disposal and recycle of waste wherever possible. Otherwise, we may not even find aground to serve as a landfill site in the times to come.

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E-Waste Essay | Essay on E-Waste for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by sastry

E-Waste Essay:  In modern times, every household owns a computer, i-pad, television, cell phones. In short ‘screens’ of myriad sizes, are in front of our eyes all the time. Today, three out of four Indians possess mobile phones. One out of every five people has access to computers. The unavoidable consequence is that the nation of more than a billion individuals is generating tonnes of dangerous ‘electronic waste’.

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Long and Short Essays on E-Waste for Kids and Students in English

Given below are two essays in English for students and children about the topic of ‘E-Waste’ in both long and short form. The first essay is a long essay on E-Waste of 400-500 words. This long essay about E-Waste is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on E-Waste of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

Long Essay on E-Waste 500 Words in English

Below we have given a long essay on E-Waste of 500 words is helpful for classes 7, 8, 9 and 10 and Competitive Exam Aspirants. This long essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 7 to class 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants.

E- waste or electronic waste refers to discarded electronic products ranging from computers, equipment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), home appliances and peripherals of these devices. The rapid boom in the IT industry has led to a surge in the usage of electronic gadgets. The latter get out-of-fashion and redundant at a fast pace, as a result of which they are discarded more frequently. This generates large amounts of toxic e-wastes.

E-wastes comprise a witch’s mix of hazardous chemicals like cadmium, lead, mercury, poly-chlorinated biphenyls, besides plastics and glass. These contents leach into the soil from landfills and contaminate water bodies. E-wastes when burnt, also release poisonous gases in air.

E-wastes if not handled properly, can cause serious health hazards. According to National Centre for Biotechnology Information, these risks include silicosis, cuts from Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) glass, inhalation of mercury, tin and lead compounds from circuit boards, acid contact with eyes and skin, and circulatory failure.

E-waste has woven a large informal sector in Indian cities that is involved in segregation and dismantling electronic items. Lamington road or Crawford market in Mumbai, SP market in Bengaluru and Nehru Place, Seelampur or Seemapuri in Delhi, all are hubs of e-waste disposal sites. Mumbai tops the list of e-waste generating cities, followed by Delhi and Bengaluru.

Ten states in India generate 70% of the total e-waste. Among developing nations, India is one of the largest producers of e-waste. Also, India is the destination for many developed nations to ship out their own e-wastes. However, it has been found that dismantling units in India are poorly equipped, as a result of which less than 5% of the e-waste gets recycled. Also, workers here work in dangerous conditions, without any protection or safety measures.

In 2012, Government passed the E-waste Management and Handling Rules Law, which states that agencies must have licenses and comply with pollution standards, and labour laws. A fine of upto ₹ 1 lakh and jail of upto 7 years would be announced on the violators.

Short Essay on E-Waste 200 Words in English

Below we have given a short essay on E-Waste is for Classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. This short essay on the topic is suitable for students of class 6 and below.

The consumers must also take responsibility for their own old electronic goods. They must ensure that their e-waste is deposited at authorised collection centres, or recyclers certified by Central Pollution Control Board and Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.

Education, awareness and safety gears must be provided to the poor workers, who earn their livelihood in this sector. E-wastes is one of the most harmful of all wastes that we generate. It is the inevitable and unwelcome gift of modern technology. Let us pledge to dispose them in the most environment friendly way, so as to cause least damage to Mother Earth.

E-Waste Essay Word Meanings for Simple Understanding

• Myriad – of an indefinitely great number, innumerable
• Dismantle – to disassemble or pull down, take apart
• Consequence – the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier
• Hub – a centre around which other things revolve or from which they radiate, a focus of activity, authority, commerce, transportation, etc
• Peripheral – near the surface or outside of, external
• Surge – rise
• Pledge – a solemn promise or agreement to do or refrain from doing something
• Redundant – being in excess
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BREAKING: Tragedy as INEC REC Slumps, Dies After Abuja Meeting, Details Emerge

• INEC REC in Ogun state Niyi Ijalaye has reportedly slumped and died shortly after the meeting of the commission in Abuja on Monday evening, August 20
• Iyalaye died at his hotel in Abuja, where he had lodged to attend the INEC meeting ahead of the off-cycle election in Edo and Ondo
• Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, was said to have presided over the meeting ahead of the forthcoming off-cycle election at the commission's headquarters in Abuja

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FCT, Abuja - Niyi Ijalaye, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun State, died after slumping at his hotel room in Abuja on Monday evening, August 20.

It was reported that the incident happened shortly after Ijalaye attended a crucial meeting at the INEC headquarters.

Tragedy as abducted mobile police officer found dead in Plateau

Yakubu holds meeting with INEC RECs

Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of INEC, presided over the meeting. The commission's meeting centred on the forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections in Ondo and Edo states . Yakubu also discussed the upcoming election into seven vacancies at the national and state assemblies.

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It was learnt that the late INEC REC was active during the meeting and was in good health before his sudden death on Monday evening.

INEC or his family have not officially announced his death, but a source within the commission confirmed the incident to TVC News .

What is INEC?

INEC is responsible for conducting the presidential, governorship, national, and state assembly elections in Nigeria .

Recently, there have been calls for the national assembly to lawfully empower the commission to conduct local government elections in Nigeria, following the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments.

BREAKING: ASUU issues fresh nationwide strike notice, gives details

Barrister Oladotun Hassan, the president of the Yoruba Council Worldwide, in an interview with Legit,ng, called on the Senate and House of Representatives to amend the law to accommodate the conduct of elections at the local government, which should be carried out by INEC.

Hassan said:

"I don’t think creating separate local government electoral arms is necessary. It is better for INEC to be in charge of all elections in Nigeria, the federal, state, and local government, as well as the councillorship. And that election must be run simultaneously in order not to waste ballot papers and duplicate tenure."

Election: INEC announces vacancies

Legit.ng earlier reported that INEC has announced vacancies for ad-hoc staff for the forthcoming governorship elections in Ondo and Edo states.

According to INEC, the openings available for ad-hoc staff are SPOs, POs, APOS, RATECHs and RAC managers.

The electoral commission then placed restrictions on candidates who were political party members, expressed a preference for any candidate in the election and did not stay in the selected states.

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Source: Legit.ng

Bada Yusuf (Politics and Current Affairs Editor) Yusuf Amoo Bada is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over 7 years of experience in journalism and writing. He is a graduate of OAU, and holds Diploma in Mass Comm. and BA in Literature in English. He has obtained certificates in Leadership and received the "Certificate for Breakthrough of the Year 2022" in recognition of his great performance during his first year at Legit.ng. Worked as Editor with OperaNews. Contact: [email protected] or call 08161717844

MOSCOW DOMODEDOVO AIRPORT (DME) INFORMATION

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Official website (contact and info): http://www.domodedovo.ru/en

Moscow Domodedovo Airport (official name: Domodedovo Mikhail Lomonosov International Airport) is an international airport located in Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast, Russia, 42 kilometres south-southeast from city centre. Domodedovo is one of the four major Moscow airports, as well as one of the largest airports in Russia and the former USSR in terms of passenger and cargo traffic. It is the second largest airport in Russia after Sheremetyevo.

Locations near Moscow Domodedovo

The airport is close to Domodedovo, Lytkarino, Vidnoye, Podolsk, Bronnitsy, Klimovsk, Orekhovo-Borisovo Yuzhnoye, Dzerzhinskiy, Zhukovskiy, Udelnaya, Rodniki, Kratovo, Kotelniki, Ramenskoye, Lyubertsy, Beloozërskiy, Reutov, Balashikha, Korolëv, Ivanteyevka from Russia.

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