How Paper is Recycled

Going green isn't just a fad, it's a social responsibility, especially when it comes time to recycling. Paper is the easiest item to recycle because it requires no rinsing and no separation. You just bundle it together or throw it in a paper bag and you're good to go. According to Paper Recycles.org, 57.4 percent of the paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. That's great news but we could definitely improve that statistic. Perhaps if people understood how paper was recycled, they might be more inclined to jump on the green bandwagon.

Paper has been around for a long time and despite modern technology like computers and cell phones , we still use plenty of paper. It is thought that paper was first invented 2,000 years ago by the Chinese when they crafted cloth sheets to record their writings and drawings. But today, paper is made from trees and recycled paper. Recycling paper is not new either; paper mills have used it to make items like newspapers, (paper) grocery bags, envelopes, boxes, and even magazines.

So how exactly is paper recycled? With today's technology, computers and special sensors monitor each step of the papermaking process. After the paper is collected, it is transferred to a recycling center where contaminants such as paperclips, staples and plastic are removed. It is then baled and transported to a paper mill.

Once in the paper mill, the paper is shredded and mixed with water. A beater turns the paper into slush after it is washed and refined to get things like ink off of the paper. Additives (e.g. dyes) are added and then the slush is pumped onto a large moving screen - usually a wire screen.

As the pulp moves down the screen, the water drains similar to a collander. The resulting paper sheet is called web and that web is pressed or ironed between gigantic rollers to extract more water. The ironing creates smoothness and uniform thickness. The smooth web goes though heated dryer rollers to remove any remaining water. And to make recycling paper even more green, the wastewater is treated before it is reused and/or released.

We're not done yet. Chemicals have to be filtered out and are often burned in an on-site cogeneration plant. Keeping the green theme, the burning helps to meet the energy needs of the facility, and the local community.

After it is burned, the paper is wound into enormous rolls before being cut into smaller rolls. The paper is now ready to go out into the world and be used.

By now everyone should be recycling, but if your town or city doesn't recycle, then write to your officials and demand that they do. Even if they don't have curbside pick-up, there should be a neighborhood depository.