Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: sandy42011 on 19/05/2013 19:49:49

Title: How can paper be more efficiently recycled?
Post by: sandy42011 on 19/05/2013 19:49:49
we use a lot of paper at home and it is wasted, can a solution be developed in which we can put all stationary paper  of household and collected collectively from society for recycling??
Title: Re: How can paper be more efficiently recycled?
Post by: Mazurka on 20/05/2013 11:20:53
Recycling paper is a huge subject, with no single solution.

Each time paper is recycled, the fibres that make up the paper  are chopped.  On average paper can be recycled 6 times before the fibres are too short.  This means that it is not possible to have a "closed loop" system and virgin tree pulp will always need to be used.

When the fibres become too short, the "de-inked" sludge is often spread on fields as a soil conditioner.

The biggest problem with paper recycling is that there are a limited number of paper mills.  This can result in collected paper being hauled long distances in lorries which has quite a high "carbon" cost.

Paper burns well and also breaks down readily in landfill and (depending on where you are relative to the paper mill or a waste disposal site) it can be better for the environment to dispose of it so the energy can be recovered (either in an incinerator/ energy from waste plant or through landfill gas utillisation). 

Arguably the ultimate environmentally friendly way of dealing with paper is to pulp it and make into briquettes to burn in a fire/ stove as it does not involve transporting it any further and permanently destroys any personal information that a phisherman or other scammer could use.   However, I accept that this takes a little time and effort, is messy, needs somewhere to dry the briquettes and somewhere to burn them   

 
Title: Re: How can paper be more efficiently recycled?
Post by: David Cooper on 20/05/2013 19:04:50
Why not make it edible? We obviously wouldn't want to eat it, but I'm thinking in terms of animal feed. All the packaging we get things in should be made of something that can then go on to be used as animal feed.
Title: Re: How can paper be more efficiently recycled?
Post by: sandy42011 on 22/05/2013 08:31:10
thats also a gud idea, it will be a proper use of paper instead burning it, but in which form can animals accept it a fodder??