Paper recycling has become a major issue in the paper manufacturing and recycling industry. Paper board containers and boxes, office paper and paper items such as newspapers and magazines are reused today to create recycling products such as paper bags, toilet paper or recycling paper for your home office or corporate offices. Office shredders, public recycling bins and paper disposal systems help to collect and process paper waste.

 

Paper products are of daily use in home and corporate offices, for example copy paper, document paper or printer paper. We use various paper types: specialty paper for photos and posters, for printing letters and bills, but also for packaging and mail. Paper items are used up regularly or can, in many cases, only be used once. About 30 years ago, scientists proclaimed that there was the opportunity of a so called paperless office. This concept was seen as the future of office management and was predicted to be ideal, especially when the internet and elaborated computer and automation systems revolutionised office management. But today, the consumption of paper has even increased. The use of inkjet paper and laser printer paper, of paper envelopes and paper packaging material is as high as is has never been before.

 

Today we use paper in many applications, for example for writing and printing on it. When paper is used as a voucher, bank note or ticket, it even represents a value. Paper companies manufacture special paper for usage as newspaper or magazine paper. Paper can also be used as protection means and to package goods.

 

These various paper types have to be kept in mind when it comes to the paper making and recycling process of paper. The process of paper manufacturing is connected to the usage of scarce natural resources such as wood, water and energy. Wood, generally pulpwood such as spruce, is the source of natural fibers which are essential for paper making. As these natural fibers do not get lost when paper is used, recycling waste in the paper industry is possible. Therefore, a paper recycler collects paper from private or office paper recycling containers and sorts the paper before it is chopped into small pieces and soaked with water. However, what is special about recycling paper, is, that chemicals are required to bleach recycled paper if customers demand a high level of whiteness. Paper colours of recycled paper are often yellow or grey.