Thankfully, paper is not a difficult material to recycle, and there are excellent benefits for the environment when the procedure is completed. Once it has been collected (by either your local authority or a recycling company acting on their behalf), it is taken to a paper mill, who take care of the rest of the recycling process.
The first thing that happens at the paper mill is the turning of the scrap paper into pulp. The recycled paper is then screened, cleaned and de-inked through a number of processes until it is found suitable for papermaking. The final stage of the paper recycling process is for the pulp to be turned back into rolls of paper, which can then be used for newspapers, toilet rolls, etc.
So, now that you know how simple the recycling process for paper is, lets look at benefits that it brings…
Saves Trees – The less brand new (referred to as ‘virgin’) paper that is needed, the less trees have to be cut down. Vast areas have already been ruined as a direct of deforesting for paper, and this needs to stop as by doing so we are unbalancing eco-systems and the atmosphere.
Wildlife Preservation – More often than not, the wildlife that lives in the trees that are cut down to make ‘new’ paper, die quickly because they cannot adapt to living anywhere else. Recycling paper means that they can die natural deaths instead of forced ones.
Saves Space – Recycling paper reduces space in landfills. 1 ton of recycled paper made from scraps can save 3 cubic yards.
Less Pollution – Burning paper in waste incinerators pumps masses of pollution into the air. That means that we are unnecessarily causing the air that we all breathe to be of a lower quality.
Creates Jobs – Recycling paper is good for communities. Someone has to actually do all that recycling which means more jobs are created. With the global recession in full swing this is a welcome side effect of recycling paper.
Sets A Precedent – Paper is probably the easiest thing to recycle, so it is a good starting point for those who do not currently recycle at all. Having gotten into the habit of recycling paper, and seeing that it really is not difficult, people are more likely to start recycling other items too.
Cheaper Paper – Everyone likes to save money and recycled paper is often cheaper than ‘new’ paper. Over the course of a life-time, you could save yourself well over a thousand dollars by opting for the recycled versions of the paper products that you regularly buy.
This article is brought to you by ‘Paper Log Maker‘. To learn more about them please visit http://www.paperlogmaker.org.uk
