Recovered Fibre
Made from vegetable fibres called cellulose, paper as we know it today was first created in China more than two centuries ago. Since the advent of the printing press in the 15th century , its use has spread across all continents to the extent that, currently, it is hard to imagine the world without this versatile material. More than 400 million tonnes of paper and cardboard are produced worldwide every year, with more than half coming from recovered sources.
Approximately 50% of recovered paper comes from industry and business. This includes paper trimmings, cuttings and shavings from manufacturers and converters, as well as goods discarded before they reach the consumer, such as unsold newspapers and magazines. Well over a third of recovered paper comes from households. Almost any used paper can be recycled, including newspaper, cardboard, packaging, stationery, direct mail, magazines, catalogues, greeting cards and wrapping paper.
Recycling used paper and cardboard has significant advantages over other disposal options – namely landfill and incineration. It is imperative to stimulate the demand for products containing high levels of recycled fibre because of their environmental benefits.
Recycling Processes
According to industry estimates, paper can be recycled an average of 4 to 6 times. Each time recycling occurs, the fibres become shorter and weaker and virgin pulp must be introduced into paper production to maintain the strength and quality of the fibre. Through this process, recovered paper and forest-based product complement each other ecologically and economically.
The recycling of paper follows a series of steps which may vary depending on the type of paper and its degree of deterioration.
Paper sorting and baling
Baled corrugated carton
Rotary sorting station
- Sorting: Paper products must be separated according to their composition and degree of deterioration. Different types of paper can sometimes be mixed. Others, such as paperboard, are recycled using a single-grade process, meaning that no other type of paper can be mixed in during its processing.
- Bailing: Large quantities of paper are packed using hydraulic machines that apply enormous pressure to compact recovered paper into blocks that are easier and more cost-effective to transport.
- Shredding: Recovered fibre is shredded into smaller pieces and mixed with water to make pulp.
- Washing: The pulp is washed, refined and cleaned, then turned into a slush that undergoes filtering through screens and other separation processes to remove contaminants such as ink, clay, dirt, plastic and metals. Dyes, coatings and other additives can be introduced during this process. Water is continuously drained and cleaned for reuse.
- Bleaching: In order to whiten paper, the pulp can be bleached using hydrogen peroxide and chlorine.
- Pressing: The resulting paper sheet, kno