Paper Recycling

Recycled paper is paper that does not contain 100 percent virgin pulp.  Twenty years ago, recycled paper was easily distinguishable from non-recycled paper – it was of inferior quality and grade.  With current technology and manufacturing techniques there is no distinguishable difference.  Recycled paper can now be used in all copiers, printers and faxes, with the same results as using non-recycled paper.

Paper products are the single biggest component of solid waste disposal sites, and as such represent a considerable environmental and social problem.  Paper recycling can reduce the amount of paper to find its way to waste disposal.  Recycling reduces the environmental and social costs of original paper production, but is not without its own costs such as increased use of fossil fuels in transporting the material for recycling, and costs in the reprocessing itself. 

The table below provides an indication of the environmental costs and benefits of recycled vs virgin tree-based paper production.

	Environmental benefits	Environmental costs
Recycled paper	-     reduces landfill space -     reduces carbon dioxide emissions from waste incineration -     reuses waste as a raw material, helping to close the recycling loop	-     increased fossil fuel use in transportation and collection of waste paper -     reprocessing costs
Virgin pulp	-     can act as carbon sinks if grown on a sustainably managed plantation. Tree planting offsets carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels.	-     reduced biodiversity compared to natural forests -     as global demand for paper increases more strain will be placed on natural forests. -     not all virgin pulp-paper is from sustainably managed forest plantations.  Some (usually imported) comes from rainforests and unsustainable sources, reducing biodiversity and habitats for species, and reducing local use and amenity.

 

There is a limit to the number of times paper can go through the recycling process, as the fibres are shortened each time, and eventually become too short or fine to be used.

Recycled paper has uses other than paper and card production, eg it can be used for fuel, building insulation, building materials, potting mixture, insulation in cars and shoes.