Recycling of Paper: Process, Limitations, and Importance

Recycling generally refers to the process of transforming the non-useful waste products into something useful that can be used by humans again. As recycling uses much lesser resources than are required in the production of new goods, it is an ideal option for saving energy and thus in term contributes to conserving our environment. Hence, we can say that recycling is an eco-friendly and cost-efficient system alternative. Paper is a material that is widely used in today's world across all dimensions. Hence, there is a need to recycle paper so that a constant supply of paper can be generated while also treating the used paper and turning them into something useful. In this article, we will have a look at the recycling of paper and its processes. 

Recycling of paper

Even after the invention of the latest digital technologies, the demand for paper is seeing a constant rise. The production of paper and related products all over the globe has touched a mark of approximately 400 million metric tons. 50% of the waste in our landfills constitutes majorly of paper and its related products. 

Recycling of paper

As the paper is produced from trees and a single tree helps in producing over eight thousand sheets of paper, there is an immediate need to keep a check on the demand for paper and its production to keep a check on pollution and our environment while also fulfilling our paper demands. This can be done through reusing the already used paper by the process of recycling. 

Recycling of paper is a process through which used and waste paper is turned into productive paper and related paper products for use again. 

The recycling of paper is an easy task to render the paper useful for use again after going through some processes.

Steps Involved in Recycling of Paper

The process of recycling paper basically involves sorting waste papers and then cleaning them with soap to break them down further. After breaking the paper down, the mixture is exposed to heat. After a while, this paper is decomposed into cellulose through the processes. 

The various steps used in the process of recycling paper are as follows:

Step 1: After being collected from bins and garbage, the already used papers are stored in a large container for the purpose of recycling.

Step 2: The large recycling containers are then shifted to a recycling plant for further processing such as the segregation of waste papers into various grades and types.

Step 3: The waste papers which are segregated are then shredded into multiple small pieces. These are then washed with soapy water. The purpose of washing is to remove any stains of staples, ink, plastic film, or glue on the used paper.

Step 4: The papers that are washed are stored in a large container that contains water. The papers here get mixed with water and are heated to form a slurry as a product. 

Step 5: Different materials are added to this slurry of paper to form various paper products such as cardboard, newsprint, or plain white papers.

Step 6: The slurry which is prepared is then moved and spread over a screen to remove any contaminants or remaining adhesives.

Step 7: The slurry is then spread on large rollers in order to produce thin and large paper sheets by transferring the slurry on a conveyor belt where water helps in binding the fibers of the paper again.

Step 8: These sheets of paper are then separated to dry on heated metal rollers. 

Step 9: After getting dried, these sheets are rolled.

Step 10: They are then packed up new and fresh for use again.

Process of Recycling of Paper

Importance of recycling of paper

• Recycling helps in the conservation of energy and is a cost-efficient process. 
• It helps in saving our natural resources such as water, trees, and forests as a whole thereby contributing to the protection of our environment by keeping a check on air, water, land, and soil pollution. 
• Recycling processes save our environment from the harmful industrial emissions of methane gases that are released in the atmosphere of the Earth as a result of the decomposition of hazardous and biodegradable wastes. 
• It prevents the waste from being piled up. 
• Recycling is important as a lot of waste is generated every day by humans and our daily processes. Some of this waste can't be degraded further and hence turning them into something useful is an ideal option. 

Recycling, therefore, helps to get rid of non-useful waste materials while also keeping a check on air, land, and water pollution as the waste gets changed into something useful rather than being piled up and contributing to the pollution of the environment.

Just like recycling paper, recycling of various other materials like plastic, glass, wood, electric equipment, metals, etc also takes place. These materials through the process of recycling are changed into new raw materials for our use. 

Limitations

Despite its numerous advantages the process of recycling paper also has certain limitations or shortcomings which are as stated below:

• Paper contains many organic and inorganic constituents along with fiber. The variety of chemicals present in the paper has the potential to contaminate the same.

For instance, bisphenol A, which is a type of chemical that is found in thermal paper has been proven to be a contaminant present in the recycled paper 

• Papers and it's material contain many groups of toxic metals and chemicals such as phenols, phthalates, mineral oils, etc.
• Although practices such as optimizing paper collection for the purpose of recycling and improving the process of the contamination reduce the chemical load on papers during the process of recycling, there still remains a circulation of the harmful contaminants in the paper cycle for many decades to come.

The 3 R's

We can save our environment by following the three R's which are as follows:

• Reuse
• Recycle
• Reuse

3 R’s to save the environment and prevent the accumulation of waste

Recycling is an important part of this practice. It promotes long-term sustenance and growth of the resources in order to ensure that our natural resources are available for all our future generations too as they are available for us now.

Things to Remember

• Recycling generally refers to the process of transforming the non-useful waste products into something useful that can be used by humans again.
• As the paper is produced from trees and a single tree helps in producing over eight thousand sheets of paper, there is an immediate need to keep a check on the demand for paper and its production.
• As recycling uses much lesser resources than are required in the production of new goods, it is an ideal option for saving energy and thus in term contributes to conserving our environment.
• The process of recycling paper basically involves sorting waste papers and then cleaning them with soap to break them down further. 
• After breaking the paper down, the mixture is exposed to heat. 
• After a while, this paper is decomposed into cellulose through the processes. 
• Despite its numerous advantages the process of recycling paper also has certain limitations.