Understand how the paper recycling process works
Extracted from the wood, the paper is a material of strong presence in the day to day of the society, being used for hygiene, manufacture of notebooks, packaging, printing of documents and production of a wide variety of products. To obtain paper, it is necessary to perform tree cutting, as well as the application of chemicals for bleaching the leaves. All this process causes pollution and brings several negative environmental impacts.
To minimize these problems, investing in paper recycling is critical. The good news is that about 46.3% of all paper produced in Brazil is already recycled, returning to the production chain. Despite the encouraging number, it is still possible to increase this percentage through the awareness and incentive to selective collection in residences and companies throughout the country.
Bounty Paper Towels, Print, 6 Big Rolls = 8 Regular Rolls, Prime Pantry
How is the paper recycling process done?
After picking up the material, the paper goes through quality control. The collected material is then crushed and mixed with water so that its fibers are separated. The next step is centrifugation, which causes impurities such as sand and staples to be separated.
Then some chemicals are added for ink removal and bleaching of the paper. If the aim is to obtain a high quality product, this bleaching can be done with the application of bleach. In this step, the cellulose pulp is ready for the refining process, in which additives can be added to the dough such as aluminum sulfate, corn starch, among other products.
After obtaining the paste, the process of manufacturing the recycled paper is very similar to that of the virgin cellulose pulp, and may vary according to the product to be obtained - toilet paper, napkins, face cloth, printing paper, bags, among others.
Paper types that can not be recycled
It is worth mentioning that there are some
types of paper that can not be recycled
- . Are they:
- Adhesive tapes;
- Photographic papers;
- Carbon paper;
- Adhesive labels;
- Paper cups.
Advantages of Paper Recycling
There are several benefits that paper recycling brings to the environment, such as:
- Reduction of water consumption;
- Reduction of deforestation;
- Economies of almost 80% of energy;
- Pollution reduction;
- Job creation.