PAPER RECYCLING

Paper is made from cellulose fiber, the source of which can be pulped wood, or variety of other materials such as rags, cotton, grasses, sugar cane, straw, waste paper or even elephant dung. It is one of the most versatile and important materials used in homes, schools, offices and business throughout the world. Each day we enjoy the benefits of paper products. The paper we use for homework and business purposes, the documents that mark the significant achievements of our lives, the newspaper we read in the morning, and the box that holds our cereal, all contribute to our daily quality of life.

Paper dates back over 2,000 years, they were using hand made production methods until the 19^th century. The industrialization of the paper making process help to bring education and books to a broad spectrum of people, and continued advances have resulted in better and more efficient products that meets our daily needs, while leaving a smaller footprint on our environment.

Paper recycling is the process of getting waste paper and turning it into new paper products. There are three categories of paper that can be used as feedstock for making recycled paper, these are; mill broke pre-consumer waste and pos-consumer waste.

Mill Broke: These are paper trimmings and other paper scrap from the manufacture of paper, and is recycled internally in a paper mill.

Pre-Consumer Waste: These are waste materials which left the paper mill but were discarded before they were ready for consumer use.

Post-Consumer Waste: These are materials discarded after consumer use, such as old corrugated containers, old magazines, old newspapers, office paper, old telephone directories, and residential mixed paper. Paper suitable for recycling is called “scrap paper”. The industrial process of removing printing ink from paper fibers of recycled paper to make de-ink pulp is called de-inking.

Paper is one of the easiest materials to recycle. We all take part in the first step of paper recycling process and this is achieved when we take the time to separate our paper and place it in the recycling box.

·        The next step is achieved when the local authorities and waste management companies send a recycling truck over to pick up the paper and bring it to the processing facilities.

·        After the above step comes the sorting. The paper is placed on a moving conveyor to be sorted by hand because there are different grades of recycled paper.

·        Once the paper has been sorted it is then baled to make the transport and storage more convenient.

·        The paper is then delivered to a processing mill.

PROCESSING

·        At the processing mill, the paper is soaked in water. It is then shaken to release the fibers to return them to their pulp state. 

·        The paper is then screened, cleaned and de-inked, it is important to de-ink at this stage, if not we will be left with a dull, grey paper. There are three ways to de -ink;

I-Chemicals are added to the water to separate the ink from the pulp and then huge quantities of water are added to flush out this ink.

II- Air is short through the pulp. This process creates foam containing about half of the ink. The foam is then skimmed off leaving clearer water. This process breaks down water and oxygen on disposal, so it is the most acceptable.

III- The pulp is bleached using hydrogen peroxide or chlorine. This process is less acceptable since the chlorine combines with organic matter to produce toxic pollutants.

 

·        It is then ready to be made into new paper products such as newsprints, cardboard, packaging, tissue and office items.

The process in recycling of paper which involves changing old paper into new paper requires a significant amount of energy. From the de-ink process above water and chemical are used, but these amount are much less than they would be in the manufacture of virgin paper. Unfortunately, the same paper cannot be recycled indefinitely. Each time the fibers are pulped, they get shorter and shorter and lose their paper making qualities. A fiber can be recycled four to six times before it disintegrates. The quality of paper produced will vary depending on the percentages of recycled and virgin paper used in its production.

By recycling paper, we help save our forest from being destroyed while at the same time we help cut down on the environmental damage caused when we turn trees into paper.