Reuse and Recycle Paper

• Use both sides of paper when copying and writing

• Share magazines and newspapers with friends or donate your already read ones to
hospitals, doctors offices, or community places.
• Use common sense and your imagination... all paper / junk mail, etc. can be used as note
paper. Look for organizations that will accept used paper and organize a collection
system in your school or workplace.
• NYC now has curbside recycling pickup for plain paper, junkmail, etc. Remember though
that re-using is preferable to recycling.
• Create a demand for recycled paper by using recycled printing and writing paper. Support
local recycling efforts. Find out how much secondary (waste) fiber it contains vs. how
much was derived from post-consumer waste paper, also whether the paper is de-inked,
bleached or dyed.
• Cancel unnecessary magazine subscriptions.
• Stop junk mail. To have your name removed from mailing lists
• Phone books can be recycled with newsprint (curbside collection in NYC)
• Cardboard boxes: flatten them and tie them up. Some recycling centers accept them, if
not try grocery chains who have bailers and reclaim all cardboard. (NYC now has
curbside collection for cardboard)
• Brown paper bags can be recycled with corrugated cardboard.
• Take advantage of libraries.
• Paper comprises roughly 40 percent of the municipal solid waste burden in many industrial
countries.
• In the U.S. the pulp and paper industry is the second largest industrial user of energy.
• Nearly a ton of new recycled paper can be made from a ton of recycled stock compared to the 2-
3.5 tons of trees required to make a ton of virgin paper.
•

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Are Plastics Good for Paper?
February 23, 2010

It was apparent that attendees were passionate about buying sustainable paper. It was also apparent that we
needed to address the questions in more depth than the limited online time allowed. We asked two
industry experts to help us do exactly that.

Wendy Jedlicka, president of Jedlicka Design Ltd. and author of Packaging Sustainability, along with
Peter Nowack, founder of PrintLeadership, provided their input on the questions we received. Their
answers are listed separately, one after the other, but please note that they are not part of a conversation
between the two.

Q: How do you justify the use of plastics from an environmental perspective? The fact that you can
incinerate them or landfill them is not a “green” plus. To use this as a green argument seems to be
disingenuous and a greenwash.

PN: This one was my question, I believe, and I stand by my sentiment that to call items that have to be
landfilled or incinerated “green” is intentional deception (or the message of one who has no idea what
“green” is.)

WJ: Incineration is not a plus for sure – even if you’re burning leaves. However, it depends on what the
plastic paper is being used for. As a mindless replacement, it’s a bad choice; but when you need water
resistance, it could have benefits over laminated wood pulp (energy savings, virgin wood pulp, durability
etc.).

Q: Are digital synthetics recyclable? Are there environmental concerns with the production of this
paper?

PN: I cannot answer specifically – I don’t know the manufacturing process – but if the substrate is PVC,
then somewhere in the manufacturing process there is a risk associated with dioxins and PCBs and a
whole host of other nasty things. I am attaching a Greenpeace paper on PVC production, which though
a decade old, is still germane. When we consider environmental risk, we need to consider upstream as
well as downstream impacts. In a global marketplace, the upstream impacts can take place far away from
the manufacturing location of the final product.

WJ: Some are in a closed-loop system. But what are we calling recycling? True recycling like glass, or
downcycling like type 7 into plastic lumber?

Q: How can you state “indefinite recyclability”? They are NOT recyclable.

PN: The use of the term “indefinite recyclability” is, in the best of cases, doublespeak – and in this case
totally inaccurate. If I heard the speaker correctly, he was talking about how long this stuff lasts, so it
doesn’t have to be “recycled” (more accurately, “disposed of) for a long time – an indefinite time. This
has nothing to do with recyclability.

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WJ: Natural pulp fiber is not “indefinitely recyclable.” It can make six trips or so before becoming too
broken to use.

Q: Is there a risk of Synthetics contaminating the recycled paper stream?

PN: There is always a risk of contaminating the recycled paper stream, and it happens all the time. (I have
heard of instances where heavy machine parts are put into bundles of recycled cardboard to increase the
weight and the corresponding revenue.) If non-recyclable fiber is not properly separated from recyclable
material, it will likely result in increased waste-to-landfill.

WJ: Absolutely. But for some recyclers it doesn’t matter all that much. Many are now taking milk cartons
– lovely white board sandwiched between layers of PE, requiring no deinking as ink never actually
touched the board. The new repulpers simply grind the feederstock small enough to release the white pulp.
The PE laminate with the ink stuck to it simply floats away. Unfortunately then that PE/ink combo
becomes part of the toxic sludge left over.

Q: How do you avoid synthetics contaminating the paper-recycling stream?

PN: Don’t use them.

WJ: Don’t call it recyclable. OR, make it so it easily disintegrates in the pulper. Though it will still
become part of the toxic sludge left over.

Q: You mentioned that some of the Synthetics are great for outdoor promos of 30-60 days etc., yet
given that they are not recyclable (yet) or are from synthetic, nonrenewable materials, I would
encourage everyone to think beyond that time frame to look at the big picture. Some of these
synthetics may in fact live way beyond their intended usage, as you say, almost “indefinitely” and
still end up in the waste-stream without biodegrading. We need to consider the entire life cycle:
sourcing, manufacturing and end-of-life. Yes, these products can be used a long time and then can
be thrown away, but really, where is “away?”

PN: Good point. We have pretty much run out of new “away” places and are building on top of our old
“aways” – with not terribly great results (methane seepage is not a lot of fun).

WJ: “We need to consider the entire life cycle: sourcing, manufacturing and end-of-life.” This is
completely true, but functionality is also part of this equation. What function is the “paper” performing?
You have to weigh the physical thing against its intended purpose. You can’t just weigh variables in a
vacuum.

Q: Do Synthetics have a life span?

PN: There is a physical-property life span, and a much shorter “useful life” span. When the promotion is
over, the printed piece is no longer useful – that happens very quickly in this day of disposable ideas.
Better to print on something that can be easily recycled.

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WJ: Everything has a life span.

Q: Could recycling or manufacturing legislation affect synthetic paper products?

PN: It could. Germany insists that manufacturers take total life-cycle responsibility for their products in
that country. But in this country, don’t hold your breath.

Q: Has a lifecycle analysis been performed on synthetic papers; and if so, are the results available?

WJ: Some studies have been done on these papers, but from what I’ve seen so far, they are sponsored by
the manufacturers. Some good third-party investigation would be in order.

Q: Is there dependency on foreign oil in its production?

PN: Interesting question, but it really doesn’t matter if it is foreign or domestic – it is still hydrocarbon,
with all of the greenhouse gas, VOC and toxicity problems of hydrocarbon production. Oil is not healthy
for printers and other living things.

WJ: Depends on the paper, and where it’s made. Plus what “foreign” entity are you worried about? In the
United States, we get only about 18 percent of our oil from the Middle East. I’d be just as worried about
our local foreign oil coming from Canada’s oils sands. Plus how is the “paper” made? Using alternative
energy or mountain-topped coal?

Q: What is the actual recovery rate for Synthetics? Paper is at 57 percent.

WJ: Effectively zero.

Q: How can PVC substrates be incinerated safely?

PN: Lots of things can be safely incinerated (if appropriate exhaust scrubbing technology is employed),
but it takes a lot of fuel to get rid of the stuff we don’t want – unless the heat from incineration is used to
generate energy, getting rid of waste is itself a wasteful process. And, there is no guarantee that the
incineration will be done in a place that employs appropriate technology. A lot of our waste gets shipped
offshore – who knows what technology (if any) is employed in such places.

WJ: They can’t. PVC is a product that should never have been produced period.

Q: Paper accounts for 25 percent of landfill waste. So how does using a synthetic substrate ease the
burden since it’s not easily recyclable or burned safely?

WJ: It eases the burden on virgin tree harvesting, not landfill or incineration.

Q: What do you mean by “inert” and “benign?”

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PN: See the Greenpeace document for a discussion of what can happen when PVCs are landfilled. And,
while the finished sheet seems relatively inert and benign, remember to consider the upstream impacts
associated with PVC production. My question to the manufacturer is WHAT ASSURANCE CAN YOU
PROVIDE ABOUT ANY OF YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS?

WJ: Inert and Benign are very specific. It doesn’t readily bioaccumulate. Example: Glass is inert.

Q: There are “plastic” boxes sometimes used for things like lettuce in the grocery store that are
actually made from corn. Do you know if bio-products like that have been tried to create products
w/similar water proof, strength, etc. qualities like these synthetics have?

WJ: Sort of. PLA films are in production, but so far work best as structural films (Vacuum-formed clear
boxes for fruit) or clear folding cartons. The thinner films (about the same weight as the paper) they’ve
used for window films (cake boxes), but this is too fragile for a whole sheet of paper. Even thinner films
for laminates.

Q: How many times can Synthetics be recycled?

PN: Well if a product must be incinerated or landfilled, then the answer is ZERO.

WJ: What is your definition of recycled? Which synthetic?

Q: Are manufacturers doing anything specific to work with municipal recycling systems?

PN: Recycling is a market-based activity. When there is a market for recycled something, AND the
technology to recycle it is available and not prohibitively expensive, AND the costs of sorting and
transporting the material to the recycling facility are not prohibitively expensive, AND there is sufficient
material in the waste stream to support an ongoing enterprise, then that something has some possibility of
being recycled. If not, it is just disposed of.

WJ: Don’t know, but unless they want to start another PLA Bottle moratorium counter action again, they
better have this on the front burner.

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 Paper Recycling Process: Step by Step
Collection

* The first step of the paper recycling process is of course taken by each and every one of us when
we take the time to separate our paper and place it in the recycling box.

* The next step is taken by your city, when they send the recycling truck over to pick up the
paper and bring it to the processing facilities of your neighborhood.

* Next, comes the sorting . The paper is placed on a moving conveyor to be sorted. I used to
imagine that all the paper was just sent through and “melted down” with the use of chemicals.
But it is a lot more complicated than that. The paper has to be sorted by hand because there are
different grades of recycled paper. Here are some examples of this: white paper, colored paper,
magazines, newspaper, kraft paper...

* Once the paper has been sorted it is then baled to make the transport and storage more
convenient.

* The paper is then shipped to processing mills usually in the Pacific North West.

Processing

* At the processing Mill, the paper is soaked in water. It is then shaken to release the fibres to
return them to their pulp state.

* It is important at this stage to remove the ink. If we don't do this, we will be left with a dull
grey paper. There are three ways to do this:

1. Chemicals are added to the water to separate the ink from the pulp and then huge
quantities of water are added to flush out this ink. (This water is usually reused!!)

2. Air is shot through the pulp. This process creates a foam containing about half of the ink.
The foam is then skimmed off leaving a clearer water. This process breaks down into water and
oxygen on disposal, so it is the most acceptable.

3. The pulp is bleached using hydrogen peroxide or chlorine. This process is less acceptable
since the chlorine combines with organic matter to produce toxic pollutants.

We then add finishing chemicals and either press the pulp into sheets to dry or mix it with virgin
pulp.

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As I mentioned before in my page on Recycling Paper , the paper recycling process involved in
changing old paper into new paper requires a significant amount of energy. We can see here
that the de-inking process uses water and chemicals, but these amounts are much less than they
would be in the manufacture of virgin paper. Unfortunately, the same paper cannot be recycled
indefinitely. Each time the fibers are pulped, they get shorter and shorter and lose their
papermaking qualities. A fiber can be recycled about four and six times before it disintegrates.

The quality of paper produced will vary depending on the percentages of recycled and virgin paper
used in its production.

Please remember that we can make most anything from recycled pulp which used to be made from
virgin wood pulp.

By recycling paper, we help save our forests from being destroyed while at the same time, we help
cut down on the environmental damage caused when we turn trees into paper.

Always keep paper recycling containers in a well seen, easily accessed location

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