THE PAPER RECYCLING PROCESS

If every piece of paper was a love note, you’d work to get it just right.

The recycling process takes a lot of work to get just right too…

It includes many steps that weaken fibers, reducing yields each time:

Step

1) Recyclables are collected

2) Transported to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF)

3) Separated. For example, into plastics, glass, metals and paper.

4) Further separated. For example, paper gets sorted into copy paper, newspaper, packaging and contaminated paper. Usable paper is then sent further through the recycling process

5) Paper is broken down into fibers

6) Cleaned

7) Screened

8) De-inked

9) Thickened

10) Brightened

11) Dried

12) Then usually combined with virgin wood fiber.

13) Pulp is then pressed to form paper

14) Dried again

15) And then prepped for final usage.

Paper goes through all these steps, just to remake the end product you use.