Archive for the ‘Office Supplies’ Category
Recycled Paper
Paper is used in every home and every industry in America. Worldwide, the average human uses 110 pounds of paper per year. Even though computers are gaining in popularity and many documents are created and stored electronically, it is still estimated that 95% of all business documents are still in paper form. Personal computer printers alone account for 115 billion sheets of paper per year. All of this paper requires a lot of trees to be cut down for manufacturing. Humans use so much paper that governments all over the world are concerned that tree production will not be able to keep up with paper consumption. Paper recycling is helping to solve this problem.
Paper waste can be found everywhere. Old newspapers, used wrapping paper, computer printouts which no longer serve a purpose, old books and pamphlets, magazines, and even the extra paper cut from the edges of paper rolls during the manufacturing process can be recycled. Old paper can be reclaimed from landfills, which in the U.S. comprise up to 40% of the landfill space. Cardboard boxes, which are used all over the world every day, are made up of anywhere from 25% to 100% recycled paper. Most of the municipalities in the US and local and federal governments in Europe and some Asian countries run recycling programs to collect paper directly after use and send it straight to recycling facilities. The collected paper is either turned to pulp and then remade into fresh paper or incinerated to produce energy.
Paper slated to be recycled into fresh paper is separated into different grades and sent to the paper mill. The paper is put into a machine and liquefied, soon to be turned back into paper pulp. The paper pulp is processed again to remove all of the ink. From there, the paper pulp is not much different from pulp created directly from wood, just of a lower quality grade. Advances in paper manufacturing have made it more difficult to tell the difference between newly manufactured paper and recycled paper. Today, more than 50% of paper products are created from recycled paper.
Paper recycling reduces energy consumption. Cutting down trees and transporting them to the pulp mill requires a substantial amount of energy. While the recycling process requires energy as well, it consumes less power than logging. Paper waste is also used in certain regions to make electricity. The paper is collected after use and taken to an energy producing plant where it is incinerated. The incinerated paper heats water pipes to create steam, which then turns a turbine, which runs an electricity producing generator. With all of the paper waste produced in most regions daily, these energy producing facilities do not run out of fuel.
Recycling paper saves energy and reduces waste. With the amount of paper we use every day, the more we recycle, the better off we will be. Everybody should be cognizant of where paper waste is going. Use the recycle bins, and if one is not available, request a program to be implemented in your area.