Friday, May 11, 2012Good morning,
Unlike materials like glass or aluminum, it is impossible to recycle paper indefinitely. But that doesn't mean it is a good idea to just throw it away. Recycling paper can have a big impact on the environment.
Paper can only be recycled 4-6 times, as the fibers get shorter and weaker each time. Some virgin pulp must be introduced into the process to maintain the strength and quality of the fiber, so no matter how much we recycle we will never completely eradicate the need for virgin fiber. However, there are other benefits.
Thanks for reading,
Your Living Green editor
Email the Editor**** Producing recycled paper involves between 28 - 70 percent less energy consumption than virgin paper and uses less water. This is because most of the energy used in paper-making is the pulping needed to turn wood into paper.
* Recycled paper produces fewer polluting emissions to air (95 percent of air pollution) and water. Recycled paper is not usually re-bleached and where it is, oxygen rather than chlorine is frequently used. This reduces the amount of dioxins which are released into the environment as a by-product of the chlorine bleaching processes.