Recycling of Paper Essay Example

Transform a sturdy cardboard box by covering it with wrapping paper and removing the top flaps - this can be used as a "gift box" instead of a "gift basket". Lastly, consider sending the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for children, where they create new cards from them.

Recycle old greeting cards by cutting out shapes and images from them. Engage a child in sticking these cut-outs on sturdy paper to craft a scene, letting creativity flow freely! Have fun with this activity! Also included is an educational sheet about recycling paper. Understand its significance, the regulations pertaining to it, and learn the correct methods and places for paper recycling. It also provides more references for further information. A fascinating fact - Ts'ai Luin of the Eastern Han Court under Chinese Emperor Ho Ti is credited with manufacturing the first known piece of paper using rags in AD 105.

The production of paper involves the use of cellulose fiber, derived from various sources such as wood pulp, cotton, rags, grasses, sugar cane, straw, waste paper and even elephant dung! In this nation, the primary material for new non-recycled paper is wood pulp. Statistics from 2004 indicate that around 74% of materials used in producing 6.2 million tonnes of paper in the UK's 76 paper and board mills were made up of recycled paper and board. Furthermore, there were imports amounting to 7.7 million tonnes.

Multiple sources of waste fiber are employed as the base material for manufacturing recycled paper. "Mill Broke" is a term used to reference unused "waste" paper, like printers' remnants or defective production rolls. When mixed with water,

these fibers disintegrate and transform into pulp. The National Association of Paper Manufacturers states that if a paper consists of more than 25% mill broke and/or fresh wood pulp, it's not deemed as recycled. The recycling procedure for printed and utilized paper is referred to as "post-consumer waste."

Paper recycling, despite its challenges such as de-inking, is an essential endeavor that requires continued dedication. Due to the gradual weakening and shortening of paper fibers, they can only be recycled between 4 to 6 times. To maintain the strength and quality of these fibers, it's necessary to add new pulp during the recycling process. Hence, there will always be a demand for fresh fibers irrespective of how much paper we recycle. Nonetheless, keeping up with paper recycling is vital since in the period from 2003/04 nearly one-third of all household waste gathered for recycling in England was made up of paper and cards amounting approximately to 1.3 million tonnes.

Even though a considerable quantity of waste isn't recycled and often ends up in landfills or is incinerated, it's crucial to understand that recycling paper doesn't necessarily equate to saving trees. Trees are mainly used as the primary raw material for producing paper but there's a widespread misunderstanding that preserving waste paper directly implies conserving trees. For commercial reasons, trees are specifically grown and harvested sustainably just like any other cultivated crop, with new ones planted to replace the ones cut down. Furthermore, portions of the tree which aren't fit for use in other industries such as building construction and furniture manufacturing can be reused by the paper industry. Various types of paper need fibers

from different species of trees.

Typically, strong papers are produced using coniferous softwoods such as spruce, pine, birch and cedar due to their long fibers which have an average length of 3mm. In contrast, hardwoods like birch and aspen grow slowly resulting in shorter fibers with an average length of about 1mm. These shorter fibers are ideal for manufacturing heavier types of paper including writing paper and fluting - the material used in the middle layer of cardboard. Most paper products originate from wood sourced from so-called "sustainable" forests, giving rise to certain ecological concerns:

• The nature of forests and where they are situated.

The rise in paper demand has heightened the need for timber, resulting in increased wood pulp production. This surge has caused significant damage to valuable wildlife habitats and ecosystems as long-standing forests are replaced with managed plantations primarily filled with fast-growing conifers. The limited variety of tree species in these regulated forests affects the overall biodiversity within these forest areas.

• By using waste paper to produce new paper disposal problems are reduced.

By recycling one ton of paper, we have the potential to conserve approximately 30000 litres of water and save between 3000 - 4000 KWh of electricity, which is sufficient to supply power to an average three-bedroom residence for a year. In addition, it can significantly reduce air pollution by as much as 95%.

• Producing recycled paper involves between 28 - 70% less energy consumption than virgin paper and uses less water. This is because most of the energy used in

papermaking is the pulping needed to turn wood into paper.

Dr. J. Parfitt from WRAP discloses in the "Analysis of household waste composition and factors driving waste increases" report, published in December 2002, that every UK home generates over 4kg of paper trash each week. This report provides insights into different facets and procedures related to paper recycling.

What are the primary varieties of paper used in daily life that can be recycled?

1. Office white paper
2. Newspapers, magazines, telephone directories and pamphlets
3. Cardboard
4. Mixed or coloured paper
5. Computer print out paper If

you have junk mail, windowed envelopes, or Yellow Pages then please contact you local authority.

The difficulty of recycling specific materials comes from the unequal allocation of recycling centers throughout the nation. For example, paper and board are available in various grades primarily sourced from agricultural and industrial regions. Remarkably, around 50 unique grades must be dealt with by paper recycling firms! For additional details on these classifications, kindly refer to: www.letsrecycle.com/materials/paper/specifications.jsp.

• What can I do to reduce the amount of paper being wasted?

1. Try not to use as much in the first place! Use the back of sheets of paper as well as the front - look to see if that piece of paper you were going to put in the bin could be used as scrap paper for many uses eg to make a shopping list, to jot down your dental appointment or to leave a note for someone.
2. Buy recycled paper products wherever possible. Fibre from recycled telephone directories and yellow pages is being used to make egg cartons, cat litter, jiffy bags and animal bedding among other things!
3. Reuse envelopes - sticky labels to cover the old address and re-seal the envelope are widely available, also made from recycled paper. Many charities sell them, so you can support them at the same time.
4. Playgroups and schools may appreciate being given odd rolls of wallpaper, or any other kind of paper, for painting on or for other uses in the classroom. They are also often glad

to receive newspapers to cover the tables for craft activities.

Opportunities for recycling the old Yellow Pages include kerbside schemes, recycling banks at local supermarkets and bring sites, and schools' recycling initiatives as part of the Yellow Woods Challenge. Please refer to the further information section for more details. If you don't have a kerbside collection or local drop off scheme, visit collection points when you're already passing by, rather than making a special trip in the car just for recycling materials.

This can save energy and reduce atmospheric pollution. For large amounts of paper, like those collected by offices, there are waste paper merchants and national paper collection companies that will accept and recycle the paper.

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For those curious about the recycling process of items like milk and juice cartons made from paper, it is advisable to contact your regular waste management company. At present, many garbage handling companies also provide recycling services. Alternatively, one could search local business directories for recyclers' information. It's crucial to note that milk and juice cartons are not entirely made of paper; they actually comprise approximately 75% paper, 20% plastic (polyethylene), and a small portion (5%) is aluminium foil. Due to their composite makeup, these cartons cannot be recycled alongside standard paper products. However, other options include repurposing them into different items, burning them for energy production or discarding them in landfills.

Despite the recent construction of a reprocessing facility in Scotland, there are only limited spots available for carton recycling throughout the country. For more specifics about these collection locations, please get in touch with The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment. It's critical to think about purchasing goods made from recycled paper as it aids in promoting recycling growth. The call for recycled materials significantly influences the effectiveness of recycling campaigns. Purely collecting materials and taking them to recycle centers isn't enough; we need to "close the loop" by buying items manufactured from reused materials. If consumers don't buy products crafted out of recycled paper, it would be challenging for paper mills to maintain their production line of recycled paper.

The bulk of

raw materials used in newspaper production in the UK in 2004 were sourced from recycled paper, accounting for 75.5%. Currently, it's easy to locate a wide variety of recycled paper goods in most supermarkets and stationery stores on the high street. The range spans more than just writing papers and notebooks - it also encompasses filing papers, day planners, calendars, table covers, tissues, napkins as well as toilet and kitchen rolls among others. If an item you're searching for isn't available in a recycled version, consider making a request at the store regarding their future plans to include such items. This could potentially motivate the shop to broaden its inventory of recycled items if they receive ample inquiries.

The retailer needs motivation to carry the products. Certain charities also offer recycled products like greetings cards and stationery in their mail-order catalogs. Reach out to the charities you want to support and inquire about obtaining a catalog. Nowadays, numerous printers and office stationery suppliers utilize or sell recycled paper. You can ask your regular supplier to provide it or search for local suppliers in the Yellow Pages. WRAP produces the Recycled Products Guide, which provides a list of recycled products available in the country.

Visit the site at http://www.recycledproducts.org.k/ or call WRAP on 08080 1002040 for more information. The ink on the collected paper can sometimes remain after reprocessing. This ink is dispersed into the pulp, giving recycled paper a slightly greyish appearance. De-inking can be done in two ways: washing or flotation. During washing, chemicals are added to the pulped paper to separate the ink and wash it away with water, which can

be cleaned and reused.

The flotation technique, a process that aerates the pulp to create foam and consequently traps and removes more than 50% of the ink content, makes its eradication easier. This procedure may also incorporate a bleaching step, utilizing either hydrogen peroxide or chlorine. Hydrogen peroxide is considered environmentally friendly as it breaks down into water and oxygen upon discard. Conversely, chlorine has the potential to react with organic materials and produce toxic pollutants such as dioxins. Even though this method employs water and chemical substances for de-inking purposes, it's still an eco-friendlier option compared to manufacturing new paper.

It's vital when buying bulk paper for a business or office to choose a supplier who can provide details about the recycled fiber content and usage of chlorine bleach, which ought to be circumvented. Roughly 20% of waste paper is discarded due to ink, plastics, or frail fibers. Although there are no explicit laws about paper recycling at present, paper is viewed as a biodegradable substance and is subject to the landfill directive. This includes specific targets for total municipal waste, inclusive of paper.

The Household Waste Recycling Act of 2003 enforces that every household should have curbside collection facilities for at least two sorts of materials by the year 2010, unless it's not cost-efficient or better options are already available. The paper recycling process is simple and convenient, hence it is anticipated to be one of these materials. For additional details on waste disposal regulations, please consult our informative document.

A typical paper recycling center consists of piles of cardboard ready for processing, an individual actively involved in office

recycling tasks such as bagging shredded paper and more. Mixed paper recycling involves gathering various types of papers - including cardboard, phone books, junk mail, office documents and construction papers - all into a single container. If you're someone who struggles with discarding beautiful wrapping paper like me, naturally you'd reuse it multiple times as gift wrap or save the front parts from past greeting cards. Some creative ways to use them again could include decorating tissue boxes with old wrapping paper and utilizing them as useful storage units.

To create holiday decorations, cut out the pictures from cards and hang them using a ribbon. You can repurpose the fronts of old cards as postcards. Use flowers or objects from wrapping paper and cards to decorate a scrapbook. Transform a sturdy cardboard box by covering it in wrapping paper and removing the top flaps. This box can then be used as a "gift box" instead of a "gift basket". Consider sending the card fronts to St. Jude's Ranch for children, where they will turn them into new cards. Spend time with a child cutting out shapes and pictures from old greeting cards, and then paste them onto sturdy paper to create a full scene.

You are limited only by your imagination! Have fun! What is Other Paper? For Recyclable paper from books, third-class mail, commercial printing, paper towels, plates and cups; and other nonpackaging paper such as posters, photographic papers, cards and games, milk cartons, folding boxes, bags, wrapping paper, and paperboard. Does not include wrapping paper or shipping cartons. Old Holiday Greeting Cards As Gift Tags Don't throw out your greetings

cards once the holiday season is past. When you have sorted out the special ones you want to keep, go through the rest and save any with pictures that can be cut out (i.e., no writing on the back) - which is usually most of them. The cut-out smaller cards you get can be used for gift tags next year. I had this tip from a friend years ago and have done it ever since. I rarely need to buy gift tags at Christmas and it's a good way of recycling those lovely cards we just otherwise throw away or recycle with the other waste paper. Crafts Using Greeting Cards Here are some of my ideas for reuses of pictured greeting cards.

1. carefully using small cookie cutters create jigsaw pieces leaving the rest of the card including the back intact and glues together for a frame. or you could just cut the card into small say 2 inch bye 1 inch panels all the same size).
2. cut out some of your favorite card pictures and paste them onto just regular plain gift boses and also add your own personal greeting with magic markers,
3. Make an inside door christmas cover using just the pictures of the cards and completely cover a piece of thick plastic . Stapling the cards would be best and frame them out with somekind of colorful material, . ( Saving this Door thing from year to year not likely but you can salvage the cards for other projects.
4. cut the characters out

of the cards to use as and everchanging seasonal picture hung in your kitchen or close bye. I see a deer from a Christmas card walking by a pond with green trees around him and the sun a shining bright. Just use your immagination. You only have to please yourself.

Hey, the flies find amusement in plastic sweaters regardless. To create a unique card, simply attach three bread wrapper ties to the

back of the card and cover it with another card scene. If possible, hide the staples when you glue the card. Moreover, you may not be aware of this, but these sturdy cards can be used to construct paper houses. I once made a flying airplane out of one, although it didn't break any records, it did manage to fly across the room. Greeting cards hold many other craft possibilities, you just need to unlock them with your imagination.