Paper recycling

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Waste paper collected for recycling in Italy Paper recycling in Ponte a Serraglio.JPG
Waste paper collected for recycling in Italy
Bin to collect paper for recycling in a German train station Deutsche Bahn Mulltrennung - Papier.jpg
Bin to collect paper for recycling in a German train station

The recycling of paper is the process by which waste paper is turned into new paper products. It has a number of important benefits: It saves waste paper from occupying homes of people and producing methane as it breaks down. Because paper fibre contains carbon (originally absorbed by the tree from which it was produced), recycling keeps the carbon locked up for longer and out of the atmosphere. Around two-thirds of all paper products in the US are now recovered and recycled, although it does not all become new paper. After repeated processing the fibres become too short for the production of new paper, which is why virgin fibre (from sustainably farmed trees) is frequently added to the pulp recipe. [1]

Contents

There are three categories of paper that can be used as feedstocks for making recycled paper: mill broke, pre-consumer waste, and post-consumer waste. [2] Mill broke is paper trimmings and other paper scrap from the manufacture of paper, and is recycled in a paper mill. Pre-consumer waste is a material which left the paper mill but was discarded before it was ready for consumer use. Post-consumer waste is material discarded after consumer use, such as old corrugated containers (OCC), old magazines, and newspapers. [2] Paper suitable for recycling is called "scrap paper", often used to produce moulded pulp packaging. The industrial process of removing printing ink from paper fibres of recycled paper to make deinked pulp is called deinking, an invention of the German jurist Justus Claproth. [3]

Process

The process of waste paper recycling most often involves mixing used/old paper with water and chemicals to break it down. It is then chopped up and heated, which breaks it down further into strands of cellulose, a type of organic plant material; this resulting mixture is called pulp, or slurry. It is strained through screens, which remove plastic (especially from plastic-coated paper) that may still be in the mixture. It is then cleaned, de-inked (ink is removed), bleached, and mixed with water. Then it can be made into new recycled paper. [4]

The share of ink in a wastepaper stock is up to about 2% of the total weight. [5]

In the mid-19th century, there was an increased demand for books and writing material. Up to that time, paper manufacturers had used discarded linen rags for paper, but supply could not keep up with the increased demand. Books were bought at auctions for the purpose of recycling fiber content into new paper, at least in the United Kingdom, by the beginning of the 19th century. [6]

Rationale for recycling

Industrialized paper making has an effect on the environment both upstream (where raw materials are acquired and processed) and downstream (waste-disposal impacts). [7]

Today[ when? ], 40% of paper pulp is created from wood (in most modern mills only 9–16% of pulp is made from pulp logs; the rest comes from waste wood that was traditionally burnt)[ citation needed ]. Paper production accounts for about 35% of felled trees. [8] Recycling one ton of newsprint saves about 1 ton of wood while recycling 1 ton of printing or copier paper saves slightly more than 2 tons of wood. [9] This is because kraft pulping requires twice as much wood since it removes lignin to produce higher quality fibres than mechanical pulping processes. Relating tons of paper recycled to the number of trees not cut is meaningless, since tree size varies tremendously and is the major factor in how much paper can be made from how many trees. [10] In addition, trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance. [8] Most pulp mill operators practice reforestation to ensure a continuing supply of trees.[ citation needed ] The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certify paper made from trees harvested according to guidelines meant to ensure good forestry practices. [11]

Energy

Energy consumption is reduced by recycling, [12] although there is debate concerning the actual energy savings realized. The Energy Information Administration claims a 40% reduction in energy when paper is recycled versus paper made with unrecycled pulp, [13] while the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) claims a 64% reduction. [14] Some calculations show that recycling one ton of newspaper saves about 4,000  kWh (14  GJ ) of electricity, although this may be too high (see comments below on unrecycled pulp). This is enough electricity to power a 3-bedroom European house for an entire year, or enough energy to heat and air-condition the average North American home for almost six months. [15] Recycling paper to make pulp actually consumes more fossil fuels than making new pulp via the kraft process; these mills generate most of their energy from burning waste wood (bark, roots, sawmill waste) and byproduct lignin (black liquor). [16] Pulp mills producing new mechanical pulp use large amounts of energy; a very rough estimate of the electrical energy needed is 10 gigajoules per tonne of pulp (2500 kW·h per short ton). [17]

Landfill use

About 35% of municipal solid waste (before recycling) in the United States by weight is paper and paper products. 42.4% of that is recycled. [18]

Water and air pollution

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that recycling causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution than making virgin paper. [19] Pulp mills can be sources of both air and water pollution, especially if they are producing bleached pulp. Modern mills produce considerably less pollution than those of a few decades ago. Recycling paper provides an alternative fibre for papermaking. Recycled pulp can be bleached with the same chemicals used to bleach virgin pulp, but hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydrosulfite are the most common bleaching agents. Recycled pulp, or paper made from it, is known as PCF (process chlorine free) if no chlorine-containing compounds were used in the recycling process. [20]

Greenhouse gas emissions

Studies on paper and cardboard production estimate the emissions of recycling paper to be 0.2 to 1.5 kg CO₂-equivalent/kg material. [21] [22] [23] This is about 70% of the CO₂ emissions connected with production of virgin material. [24]

Recycling statistics

Recycling rate for paper and board
Region2021 [25]
Europe 72.8%
Asia 56.8%
North America 66%
Latin America 46.2%
Africa 37.7%
Total World 59.9%

By region

European Union

Cardboard salvaging in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1975. Portugal, politiek, straatbeelden etc. straatbeelden in Lissabon Man met vrach, Bestanddeelnr 927-7493.jpg
Cardboard salvaging in Lisbon, Portugal, in 1975.

The industry self-initiative European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) was set up in 2000 to monitor progress towards meeting the paper recycling targets set out in the 2000 European Declaration on Paper Recycling. Since then, the commitments in the Declaration have been renewed every five years. In 2011, the ERPC committed itself to meeting and maintaining both a voluntary recycling rate target of 70% in the then E-27, plus Switzerland and Norway by 2015, as well as qualitative targets in areas such as waste prevention, ecodesign and research and development. In 2014, the paper recycling rate in Europe was 71.7%, as stated in the 2014 Monitoring Report. [26]

United States

Paper recycling in Atlanta, Georgia Make a difference, understanding Pendleton's recycling program DVIDS536228.jpg
Paper recycling in Atlanta, Georgia

Recycling has long been practiced in the United States. In 1690, nearly a century before the American Revolution, the first paper mill to use recycled linen rags was established by the Rittenhouse family. [27] In 1993, 300 years later, another milestone was reached when, for the first time, more paper was recycled than was landfilled. [28]

By 1998, some 9,000 curbside recycling programs and 12,000 recyclable drop-off centers existed nationwide. As of 1999, 480 materials recovery facilities had been established to process the collected materials. [29]

In 2008, the Great Recession caused the price of old newspapers to drop in the U.S. from $130 to $40 per short ton ($140/t to $45/t) in October. [30]

In 2018, paper and paperboard accounted for 67.39 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) generated in the U.S., [31] down from more than 87.74 million tons in 2000. [32] As of 2018, paper products are still the largest component of MSW generated in the United States, making up 23% by weight. [32] While paper is the most commonly recycled material (68.2 percent of paper waste was recovered in 2018, up from 33.5 percent in 1990) [31] [33] it is being used less overall than at the turn of the century. [34] As of 2018, paper accounted for a third of all recyclables collected in the US, by weight. [32] The widespread adoption of the internet and email has led to a change in the composition of the waste paper stream, with junk mail becoming a larger part of the materials collected, as reading of newspapers and writing of personal letters declines. [34]

India

Paper bag maker and seller in Varanasi, 2005 India - Varanasi paper bag maker - 0078.jpg
Paper bag maker and seller in Varanasi, 2005

After China put restrictions on waste imports in January 2018, much paper was being shipped to India. However, India's domestic recycling only produces 30% of the total paper demand. [35]

Mexico

In Mexico, recycled paper, rather than wood pulp, was the principal feedstock in paper mills accounting for about 90% of raw materials in 2020. [36]

South Africa

In 2018, South Africa recovered 1.285 million tonnes of recyclable paper products, putting the country's paper recovery rate at 71.7%. More than 90% of this recovered paper is used for the local beneficiation of new paper packaging and tissue. [37]

Limitations and effects

Along with fibres, paper can contain a variety of inorganic and organic constituents, including up to 10,000 different chemicals, which can potentially contaminate the newly manufactured paper products. [38] As an example, bisphenol A (a chemical commonly found in thermal paper) has been verified as a contaminant in a variety of paper products resulting from paper recycling. [39] Groups of chemicals as phthalates, phenols, mineral oils, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and toxic metals have all been identified in paper material. [40] Although several measures might reduce the chemical load in paper recycling (e.g., improved decontamination, optimized collection of paper for recycling), even completely terminating the use of a particular chemical (phase-out) might still result in its circulation in the paper cycle for decades. [41]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling</span> Converting waste materials into new products

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulp (paper)</span> Fibrous material used notably in papermaking

Pulp is a fibrous lignocellulosic material prepared by chemically, semi-chemically or mechanically producing cellulosic fibers from wood, fiber crops, waste paper, or rags. Mixed with water and other chemicals or plant-based additives, pulp is the major raw material used in papermaking and the industrial production of other paper products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper engineering</span>

Paper engineering is a branch of engineering that deals with the usage of physical science and life sciences in conjunction with mathematics as applied to the converting of raw materials into useful paper products and co-products. The field applies various principles in process engineering and unit operations to the manufacture of paper, chemicals, energy and related materials. The following timeline shows some of the key steps in the development of the science of chemical and bioprocess engineering:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domtar</span> Largest integrated producer of uncoated free-sheet paper in North America

Domtar Corporation is a North American pulp and paper company that manufactures and markets wood fiber-based pulp and paper products. The company operates pulp mills and paper mills in Windsor, Quebec; Dryden, Ontario; Kamloops, British Columbia; Ashdown, Arkansas; Hawesville, Kentucky; Plymouth, North Carolina; Marlboro County, South Carolina; and Kingsport, Tennessee. While Domtar operated independently for several decades and was listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges, the company was acquired by Paper Excellence Group in November 2021 and has since operated as a subsidiary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paperboard</span> Thick paper-based material

Paperboard is a thick paper-based material. While there is no rigid differentiation between paper and paperboard, paperboard is generally thicker than paper and has certain superior attributes such as foldability and rigidity. According to ISO standards, paperboard is a paper with a grammage above 250 g/m2, but there are exceptions. Paperboard can be single- or multi-ply.

Wood fibres are usually cellulosic elements that are extracted from trees and used to make materials including paper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulpwood</span> Timber intended for processing into wood pulp for paper production

Pulpwood can be defined as timber that is ground and processed into a fibrous pulp. It is a versatile natural resource commonly used for paper-making but also made into low-grade wood and used for chips, energy, pellets, and engineered products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenaf</span> Species of flowering plant

Kenaf [etymology: Persian], Hibiscus cannabinus, is a plant in the family Malvaceae also called Deccan hemp and Java jute. Hibiscus cannabinus is in the genus Hibiscus and is native to Africa, though its exact origin is unknown. The name also applies to the fibre obtained from this plant. Kenaf is one of the allied fibres of jute and shows similar characteristics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kraft process</span> Process of converting wood into wood pulp

The kraft process (also known as kraft pulping or sulfate process) is a process for conversion of wood into wood pulp, which consists of almost pure cellulose fibres, the main component of paper. The kraft process involves treatment of wood chips with a hot mixture of water, sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and sodium sulfide (Na2S), known as white liquor, that breaks the bonds that link lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose. The technology entails several steps, both mechanical and chemical. It is the dominant method for producing paper. In some situations, the process has been controversial because kraft plants can release odorous products and in some situations produce substantial liquid wastes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tissue paper</span> Lightweight paper or, light crêpe paper

Tissue paper or simply tissue is a lightweight paper or light crêpe paper. Tissue can be made from recycled paper pulp on a paper machine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulp mill</span> Facility which pulps wood or plant fibre

A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fiber sources into a thick fiber board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical, or fully chemical methods. The finished product may be either bleached or non-bleached, depending on the customer requirements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black liquor</span> Industrial by-product

In industrial chemistry, black liquor is the by-product from the kraft process when digesting pulpwood into paper pulp removing lignin, hemicelluloses and other extractives from the wood to free the cellulose fibers.

Bleaching of wood pulp is the chemical processing of wood pulp to lighten its color and whiten the pulp. The primary product of wood pulp is paper, for which whiteness is an important characteristic. These processes and chemistry are also applicable to the bleaching of non-wood pulps, such as those made from bamboo or kenaf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper</span> Material for writing, printing, etc.

Paper is a thin sheet material produced by mechanically or chemically processing cellulose fibres derived from wood, rags, grasses, herbivore dung, or other vegetable sources in water. Once the water is drained through a fine mesh leaving the fibre evenly distributed on the surface, it can be pressed and dried.

Tree-free paper, also known as no tree paper, offers an alternative to traditional wood-pulp paper due to its unique raw material composition. This type of paper is considered more eco-friendly especially when evaluating its entire life cycle.

Deinking is the industrial process of removing printing ink from paperfibers of recycled paper to make deinked pulp.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmental impact of paper</span>

The environmental impact of paper are significant, which has led to changes in industry and behaviour at both business and personal levels. With the use of modern technology such as the printing press and the highly mechanized harvesting of wood, disposable paper became a relatively cheap commodity, which led to a high level of consumption and waste. The rise in global environmental issues such as air and water pollution, climate change, overflowing landfills and clearcutting have all lead to increased government regulations. There is now a trend towards sustainability in the pulp and paper industry as it moves to reduce clear cutting, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel consumption and clean up its influence on local water supplies and air pollution.

Products made from a variety of materials can be recycled using a number of processes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paper chemicals</span> Chemicals used in paper manufacturing

Paper chemicals designate a group of chemicals that are used for paper manufacturing, or modify the properties of paper. These chemicals can be used to alter the paper in many ways, including changing its color and brightness, or by increasing its strength and resistance to water. The chemicals can be defined on basis of their usage in the process.

Hemp paper is a paper variety consisting exclusively or to a large extent from pulp obtained from fibers of industrial hemp. The products are mainly specialty papers such as cigarette paper, banknotes and technical filter papers. Compared to wood pulp, hemp pulp offers a four to five times longer fibre, a significantly lower lignin fraction as well as a higher tear resistance and tensile strength. Because the paper industry's processes have been optimized for wood as the feedstock, production costs currently are much higher than for paper from wood.

References

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  2. 1 2 "Debunking the Myths of Recycled Paper". IT Recycle. Retrieved 28 December 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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  14. ↑ "Information about Recycling". Bureau of International Recycling. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
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  25. ↑ "Monitoring Report 2022 European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2021-2030" (PDF). cepi.org. p. 3. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  26. ↑ Final Monitoring Report 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20160310193259/http://www.paperrecovery.org/uploads/Modules/Publications/Final_MonitoringReport2014.pdf
  27. ↑ "Papermaking Moves to the United States". Robert C. Williams Paper Museum, Georgia Institute of Technology. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 20 October 2007.
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  31. 1 2 Advancing Sustainable Materials Management: 2018 Fact Sheet (PDF), United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2020, p. 4, retrieved 25 August 2023
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  34. 1 2 How textbooks become toilet paper: A Birmingham recycling center moves beyond newsprint and cans, AL.com, Jon Reed, 1 December 2014
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  36. ↑ "In Mexico, 90% of raw material comes from recycled paper and cardboard". 3 December 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  37. ↑ "RecyclePaperZA | Paper recycled. Paper renewed".
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  39. ↑ Pivnenko, K.; Pedersen, G. A.; Eriksson, E.; Astrup, T. F. (1 October 2015). "Bisphenol A and its structural analogues in household waste paper" (PDF). Waste Management. 44: 39–47. Bibcode:2015WaMan..44...39P. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2015.07.017. PMID   26194879. S2CID   217938141.
  40. ↑ Pivnenko, K.; Olsson, M. E.; Götze, R.; Eriksson, E.; Astrup, T. F. (2016). "Quantification of chemical contaminants in the paper and board fractions of municipal solid waste" (PDF). Waste Management. 51: 43–54. Bibcode:2016WaMan..51...43P. doi:10.1016/j.wasman.2016.03.008. PMID   26969284. S2CID   22484869.
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