paper waste essay

Paper Waste Facts

Paper comes from trees….

The World Counts • Impact through Awareness

The world counts impact through awareness, paper accounts for around 26% of total waste at landfills.

Paper production causes deforestation, uses enormous amounts of energy and water, and contributes to air pollution and waste problems.

147,879,175

Tons of paper produced

In the world, this year

Paper production - and waste - to double

From 2010 to 2060, the global consumption of pulp and paper is expected to double. The same will the amount of paper waste. An increased paper production will also add further to the pressure on the world’s forests that are already in a critical state - and constantly getting worse.

From 2001 to 2019, a total of 386 million hectares of forest were lost globally (in all forest types combined). This loss represents an almost 10 % decrease in tree cover since 2000.

9,855,088.32

Hectares of forests cut down or burned

Globally, this year

In today’s electronic age, people are starting to consider going paperless. But there’s still a long way to go before we lose our dependence on this very important human product. 

From our newspapers to our paper wrappings, paper is still everywhere and most of them are ending up in our landfills creating a staggering amount of paper waste. There was a time when paper was a rare and precious commodity. Now it fills our planet. It was initially invented as a tool for communication, but today, paper is used more for packaging.

To produce paper takes twice the energy used to produce a plastic bag. Everything takes energy to produce. 

In the case of paper, it also involves cutting down trees. Deforestation is one of the main environmental problems we’re facing in these times. 42% of all global wood harvest is used to make paper. Is it really worth it to cut down our life saving trees for this product?

Let us share with you these interesting paper waste facts. We are so used to seeing products in their completed form that we seldom think of how they are made and what happens after we dispose of them.

Facts about Paper and Paper Waste

• As we speak, more than 199 tons of paper has already been produced (paper production in 15 seconds).
• 2,700 liters of water is used to make 1 tonne of paper (average for the European industry).
• 1 sheet of paper requires 2 to 13 liters of water (depending on the mill).
• 93% of paper comes from trees.
• 50% of the waste of businesses is composed of paper.
• Recycling 1 tonne of paper saves around 1400 liters of oil, 26,500 liters of water and 17 trees.
• Packaging makes up one third or more of our trash.
• U.S offices use 12.1 trillion sheets of paper a year.
• Paper accounts for around 26% of landfill waste and 33% of municipal waste.
• With all the paper we waste each year, we can build a 12 foot high wall of paper from New York to California!
• Lessening of paper usage was predicted due to the electronic revolution. It didn’t happen. Demand for paper is expected to double before 2030.
• Every tree produces enough oxygen for 3 people to breathe.

Toilet paper waste

The global consumption of toilet paper is roughly 22 billion kilometers (if laid out) or 42 million tons. All that paper is the same as 50,000 times the circumference of planet Earth. Or a round-trip every 10 minutes.

Environmental Effects of Paper Waste

Deforestation is the primary effect of our mindless use of paper. Conservation groups have made an admirable headway in protecting ecologically rich forests and limiting commercial access. This is great progress for mankind! Just imagine how long a tree will grow to its full size…. We are only just realizing the wasted use of our trees - trees that give off oxygen and protect the planet from further Global Warming.

Paper pollution is another effect of paper waste and it’s a serious problem. It is estimated that by 2020, paper mills will be producing 500,000,000 tons of paper and paperboard each year! We obviously need this product and a reduction of use is not in the horizon. Pulp and paper is the 3rd largest industrial polluter of air, water and soil. Chlorine-based bleaches are used during production which results in toxic materials being released into our water, air and soil. When paper rots, it emits methane gas which is 25 times more toxic than CO2.

Environmental consequences of toilet paper waste

Producing 42 million tons of toilet paper requires:

• 712 million trees
• 1,165 millions tons of water
• 78 million tons of oil

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Paper Waste and Pollution

In North America, many paper companies are now modifying their processes to reduce the formation of dioxins. Dioxin is a toxic by-product of the manufacture of paper and it is a carcinogen. We are now seeking renewable sources of paper so we don’t have to cut down our beautiful life-giving trees.

What can you do from your end to reduce paper pollution and waste?

• Recycle all your paper waste.
• Be a conscious consumer and buy “100% post-consumer waste recycled”. Buy recycled paper materials or materials that came from sustainable managed forests.
• In the office, reuse paper. If you’ve only used one side for example, collect them instead of throwing them away. You can bind these sheets and make a notebook using the other side. This small effort reduces paper waste by 50%
• If you already have a scanned copy of a file, don’t print it anymore unless really needed.
• Use email instead of paper when communicating with clients and customers.
• Reduce the use of paper cups and disposable paper plates by keeping reusable items in the office pantry.
• Encourage your officemates and friends to recycle their paper by putting them in recycling bins.
• Insist on “Process Chlorine Free” paper materials.
• Buy products with the least paper packaging. Encourage businesses that follow environment friendly practices.
• Take advantage of the latest technologies like tablets, computers and smart phones to keep your files and notes.

As a consumer, the way you use and dispose of paper and other paper products greatly affect our paper waste. These small efforts on your part will be a valuable contribution in the resolution of our pollution problems today.

9,855,088.31

1.8587683714

Number of planet Earths we need

- to sustain the growing human population

75 y 236 d 09 h 27 m 31 s

Time left till the end of rainforests

If current trends continue

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The impact of paper waste.

Financial Costs

The costs of using paper inefficiently in the workplace are too significant to be ignored. The expenses from supplies such as toner and paper, as well as equipment maintenance can add up fast. More significant is all the staff time wasted adjusting printers and copiers, filing documents, and then trying to find them again—often just to throw them away. Some findings from productivity research studies:

• Inefficient use of printers, copiers, and fax machines can waste between 1 and 3 percent of company revenue annually [ 1 ].
• For every dollar spent on copying, companies incur another $6 in handling and distribution, and half of all documents printed are thrown away within 24 hours [ 2 ].
• An average of 17% of everything printed is considered waste [ 3 ].

Environmental Costs

Using less paper can save your organization money and can also help with several environmental problems. Of all trees harvested for industrial use, 42% go to making paper. The pulp and paper industry is also the largest industrial user of water, the biggest water polluter, and the third largest emitter of global warming pollution in most industrialized nations [ 4 ].

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Paper Waste: Why It Matters & How to Reduce It

December 06, 2023 - 6 min read

Paper waste refers to discarded paper materials that are no longer needed and are destined for disposal. Paper waste is a significant environmental concern due to its contribution to landfills, deforestation, energy and water consumption, and air pollution.

In the swirl of today’s bustling world, paper remains a silent yet significant part of our daily lives. From the morning coffee cup to the endless stream of office documents, paper is omnipresent, often overlooked yet highly impactful on the environment. The reality is stark: paper waste constitutes a major segment of the solid waste in landfills and plays a notable role in deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and pollution. 

So understanding how to reduce paper waste and taking actionable steps to minimize it isn't just an act of environmental consciousness; it's a responsibility. Today, we explore the labyrinth of paper waste, its repercussions, and how eco-friendly alternatives can significantly contribute to curbing this issue.

The Current State of Paper Waste

Despite the sea of digital transformation, paper endures as an integral yet challenging element of our global waste dilemma. Despite our lives becoming increasingly centered on digital solutions, the trails of wastepaper continue to expand, suggesting that the paperless world we often continue to imagine as the wave of the future remains elusive. 

From school assignments to boardroom reports, the demand for paper is juxtaposed against the urgent call for environmental stewardship. As we delve into the realm of how to reduce paper waste, it’s clear that our reliance on this resource has significant repercussions, necessitating a closer look at recovery, recycling, and the role of paper in our daily professional activities.

Global Paper Recovery and Recycling

The path of paper from creation to recycling is a complex one, often stymied by insufficient recycling infrastructure and the mixed quality of the recovered material. Despite considerable progress, a substantial gap exists between the amount of paper produced and the quantities that are reclaimed and repurposed. 

Efforts to enhance paper recovery and recycling are ongoing, with the ultimate goal being a closed-loop system where paper and packaging waste re-enters the production cycle, minimizing the need for raw materials. These endeavors are not just about preserving trees; they're about creating a sustainable model that can support our paper needs without compromising the health of our planet.

The Impact of Paper in Offices and Industries

Paper serves as both a tool of communication and a symbol of bureaucracy. Offices, while pivoting towards digital solutions, still harbor a significant dependency on paper, evident in the towering stacks of documents, reports, and promotional materials that accumulate and need sorting daily. This continuous churn of paper contributes to an enormous waste footprint, one that industries are now seeking to reduce through innovative waste reduction strategies and responsible sourcing.

The Environmental and Economic Consequences of Paper Waste

Paper waste is not a silent issue; its environmental ramifications echo through the corridors of economic and ecological discussions alike. Its consequences ripple out, affecting forests, the air we breathe, and the efficiency of our waste management systems. Understanding the full impact of paper waste is a step towards mitigating its effects and crafting solutions that align with our environmental aspirations and economic realities.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The paper industry's contribution to greenhouse gasses is a significant facet of its environmental impact, with both the U.S. and Canada grappling with the implications of climate change. 1 This sector is among the top industrial emitters of carbon dioxide, the byproduct of energy consumption for paper processing and transportation. Every ton of paper recycled can prevent the release of approximately one ton of carbon dioxide, illustrating the profound climate benefits that can be achieved through improved recycling rates and reduced paper production.

Deforestation and Its Effects

Deforestation, driven by various industries including paper and pulp, continues to be an alarming global issue. It not only contributes to the loss of biodiversity and the displacement of indigenous communities but also exacerbates climate change by reducing the planet's carbon absorption capacity. Encouragingly, each ton of recycled paper can save approximately 17 trees, underscoring the critical role that recycling can play in mitigating the ecological impact of deforestation and promoting sustainable forest management practices.

Landfill Challenges and Pollution

The voluminous amount of paper waste that ends up in landfills presents a two-fold challenge: it occupies valuable land and, as it decomposes, produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Moreover, the financial burden of managing these landfills falls on taxpayers, who often unknowingly subsidize these costs through municipal waste management fees. Reducing paper waste not only conserves landfill space but also diminishes the financial strain on communities working to manage an ever-growing tide of paper and cardboard waste.

Practical Solutions to Reduce Paper Waste

Reducing paper waste aligns with the principles of reducing, reusing, and recycling, which are pivotal for creating a sustainable future. It involves not only changing individual behaviors and office practices but also embracing innovative technologies that offer paperless alternatives. 

By taking proactive steps to minimize paper consumption, we can significantly diminish the environmental footprint of our daily activities and contribute to the conservation of natural resources. Moreover, such actions often lead to increased efficiency and cost savings, creating a compelling case for individuals and businesses alike to adjust their paper usage habits.

Mindful Printing

Becoming more mindful about printing can dramatically reduce unnecessary printer paper use. Simple actions such as printing only what is essential or utilizing print preview to avoid mistakes can cut down on office paper waste significantly. In addition to efficient document formatting and advocating for double-sided printing, office settings can promote a culture of mindfulness where each sheet of paper is valued, and printing is approached with intention, not as an automatic reflex.

Embracing the Digital Age

The digital revolution offers a powerful tool in the fight against paper waste. The move toward paperless billing, online subscriptions, and electronic data storage has already shown significant reductions in paper usage. Utilizing cloud-based services and collaborative platforms can not only eliminate the need for physical documents but also increase operational efficiency making the paperless route an attractive option for both environmental and productivity gains.

Creative Reuse and Recycling

Recycling should be a last resort after all efforts to reduce and reuse have been considered. Encouraging creative reuse of old paper, such as using the blank side of printed papers for notes or making multiple use of cardboard boxes, contributes to the reduction of waste. Moreover, when recycling is necessary, doing it properly by ensuring papers are free of contaminants and sorted correctly can maximize the effectiveness of recycling programs and support the industry's shift towards utilizing more post-consumer waste and recycled fiber in new paper production.

The Reel Paper Difference

With its innovative approach, Reel Paper serves as a means to push sustainability in an industry that is often criticized for its environmental impact. By offering bamboo-based and recycled household paper products such as bamboo toilet paper , recycled facial tissues , and sustainable paper towels , Reel Paper provides consumers with high-quality, eco-friendly alternatives to traditional paper products.

This commitment extends beyond just the materials used; our brand’s entire business model is rooted in environmental responsibility and social welfare, including plastic-free packaging and partnerships with initiatives to improve access to clean sanitation worldwide. 

By choosing Reel Paper, customers are not only making a choice that benefits the planet but are also joining a movement that supports global sustainability and hygiene programs, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

References: 

• GHGRP Pulp and Paper | US EPA 2016 URL: https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/ghgrp-pulp-and-paper  
• Pulp & paper | IEA  2023 URL: https://www.iea.org/energy-system/industry/paper  
• Paper Recycling as a Means of Protecting World Forests By Renée Yardley |Sustainable Brands 2019 URL: https://sustainablebrands.com/read/corporate-member-update/paper-recycling-as-a-means-of-protecting-world-forests

Vince Leyson

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How to Reduce Paper Waste

Last Updated: April 30, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Kathryn Kellogg . Kathryn Kellogg is the founder of goingzerowaste.com, a lifestyle website dedicated to breaking eco-friendly living down into a simple step-by-step process with lots of positivity and love. She's the author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste and spokesperson for plastic-free living for National Geographic. There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 65,058 times.

Paper waste is a major contribution to the total waste at landfills, being approximately 26% of it. [1] X Research source Although paper is biodegradable and trees are continuously planted for global paper consumption every day, there are often more efficient ways of utilizing paper when it comes in handy. This article will teach you some ways to reduce paper waste.

Write on both sides of the paper.

• If you want to use a pen, you could also consider writing lightly with a pencil first since this will avoid making imprints that would require you to discard the page.

Use paperclips instead of staples.

• Paperclips are easily available in most stationery shops, and they may even be cheaper than staples since you won't need to purchase a stapler along with them.

Reuse envelopes and folders by sticking a new label on them.

• You could also simply use some tapes and cover-up names and addresses to make way for a new name and details.
• If you'd like, you can use an old, blank paper that you are not planning to use to make your envelopes .

Reuse paper .

• Use it for packing fragile materials. Used magazines and newspapers are great for packing material. When moving or shipping something, you can use old newspapers to wrap fragile materials.
• Save packaging, coloured paper, and other paper items for arts and crafts projects. Do some research and figure out some craft projects that you could make with your leftover paper products.
• Clean with old paper. You can use newspaper to wipe windows, and you can also dampen newspaper and use it to shine stainless steel appliances.
• Make a fire starter . Paper burns fast, making it a great fire starter, meaning that you can use it in your fireplace or fire pit to get your logs burning.
• Use old magazines to decoupage . Old magazines can be used for a variety of fun decoupaged crafts.
• Make origami out of the paper. Since origami is the art of folding paper, it would be a great way to reuse your paper products.

Use old newspaper to wrap gifts.

• You can also use the newspaper to make a fun gift topper if you'd like. [5] X Research source
• If you don't find any good pictures, simple notebook pages that you decorate can also make gifts look nice.
• You can also save any wrapping paper you have for packing or reusing it later if it is in good shape.

Recycle old paper .

• If there's one further away, consider storing some papers and giving them to the recycling centre every month.
• Recycling only one ton of paper will save 13 trees, 26,500 litres of water, 2.5 barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatts per hour of electricity! Paper can also reasonably be recycled five to seven times before getting thrown away. [6] X Research source
• If you want, you can also make your own recycled paper.
• Recycling paper doesn't always mean putting it in the recycling bin. You can turn old paper into origami or scrunch it up into a ball to practice juggling! Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. There are many ways of recycling old paper, and depositing your paper in a recycling bin is merely one way to recycle it.

Think of all the paper articles you use.

• To avoid using more paper, list your activities on a word processor on a computer or smartphone.

Take notes on your computer or smartphone when possible.

• You can also add images to your notes and categorize them if you'd like to use other programs. Another advantage to taking notes online is that in some cases, you can see them from all your devices–mobile phones, tablets, PCs etc.— since many are available on the web and as their own standalone apps.
• You can also consider trying to write your grocery list or figuring out mathematical sums (you could also just use a regular calculator for this) on your computer or smartphone.
• Never write online access codes/credentials, and posting them to these services to avoid risking potential of identity theft, which is a big hazard and a big no-no! Places like Google Drive and Microsoft Word on the Web, are good substitutes.
• Programs such as Evernote and OneNote, Notepad, Textedit, Notepad++ etc. are some examples of cheap note-taking apps (although this might depend on where you live).
• You may still have to use paper if you're taking notes for school and they don't allow you to use a phone or computer, or if you find that taking paper notes helps you remember the material better. If so, consider writing in smaller (yet still readable) handwriting so the notes take up less space.

Send e-mails instead of traditional mail.

• You could also text or call someone as opposed to sending something in the traditional mail if you don't want to email them.
• Even if something needs to be signed, you may still be able to sign it with an electronic signature and e-mail the signed document. [7] X Research source
• Consider sending emails to yourself if you really need to send yourself a reminder or something that needs to be written and saved for posterity– that you once might have noted on post-it notes.

Limit how much you print.

• Printed documents tend to get lost. You could end up losing them in a pile of other supplies, or you may simply forget where you placed them. As a result, you may not be able to find the document when you need it.
• They may take up a lot of space. Especially if you have a lot of other things, adding a document to the mix will likely result in more space being used.
• You may forget to bring them along with you. If you need to bring the document somewhere, you may forget it by accident. If the document is saved on a computer, you don't have to worry about bringing it somewhere, since you can simply log on to a computer and find it.

• You can use drive storage programs to save your documents, such as Google Drive or OneDrive, so that they won't get lost and you can access them from any device, anywhere, at any time. With these programs, you'll also likely be able to give and receive feedback on your document easier. [8] X Research source
• Remember what you name all of your files and if you place them in any folders (and if so, the name of the folder). Otherwise, you may not be able to find them when you need them.

• Double-check beforehand to see if your printer allows double-sided printing. If it doesn't, you can still print double-sided manually .
• Using smaller (but still readable) fonts if possible can also be helpful, since what you're printing may not even end up on a second page.

Use recycled paper.

• Check labels to see if a product or its packaging is made from recycled content. Specifically, you'll want to see if you can find what percentage of the paper is recycled (the higher the percentage, the better it is for the environment), and/or an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) seal, since this seal indicates that sustainably-harvested wood fibres were used to make the paper. [11] X Research source
• Some pencils may be made from newspaper or recycled paper— consider writing with these.

Read e-papers instead of buying newspapers.

• You might have to pay a monthly fee for this, but some publications do offer free e-papers.
• If the publication you like to read does not offer an online version, consider referring to other sites for news updates.
• Similarly, instead of purchasing books, consider reading e-books or checking out library books. Some examples of e-readers you can purchase include Amazon Kindles and Nooks, though you may also be able to read e-books on a tablet or smartphone.
• Consider purchasing audiobooks, which can complement eBooks you read without any loss of position.

Use cloth bags instead of paper ones.

• Plastic bags are also not a good choice for the environment, since they are made using petroleum, a finite resource. As it gets more limited, obtaining petroleum causes a larger amount of harm to the environment. They can also be a challenge to recycle, since they often cling onto machines or fly out of recycling bins, thus ending up in oceans, landfills and streets, where they can put wildlife in danger. They also are not typically biodegradable. [13] X Research source
• Cloth bags are a lot more durable than paper bags. Cloth bags can be washed and used multiple times,
• If you don't have a cloth bag, you can make your own .
• When shopping, always carry your own bags. Politely deny taking paper or plastic bags if you are offered them by the mall or store.
• If you need to use a paper bag and it doesn't end up damaged, consider reusing it, as a bag for lunch, for craft projects, or as a trash, recyclables or compost bag. You can also compost your paper bag— simply tear up the bag and put it in your compost pile. [14] X Research source

Buy products with less packaging.

• Carry reusable items whenever possible. This includes not only a reusable bag but also a reusable straw, utensils, and water bottle, to name just a few things. [16] X Research source
• Purchase in bulk whenever you can. Not only can this help to reduce waste from packaging, but it can also save you money. [17] X Research source
• Instead of pre-packaged products, purchase products like vegetables and fruit that are loose. [18] X Research source
• If you're unsure of which brand of a product to purchase, buy the one that does not use as much packaging. [19] X Research source
• Reuse packaging when you can. [20] X Research source You can use packaging for things like craft projects or storage.
• Consider using websites such as Nextdoor, Facebook Marketplace, Freecycle, or Craigslist if you need an item. You may be able to find what you need on there [21] X Research source , and it may use less packaging.

Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones.

• If you need to use paper napkins, look for ones that were made using recycled paper. [23] X Research source

Avoid paper dinnerware and cups.

• Reusable dinnerware can also typically be used a lot more than disposable dinnerware.
• Recently, many people have started using edible dinnerware, too. It is made from seaweed and not genetically modified. If you don't want to buy real dinnerware, this is another option for what you can purchase.

• Furthermore, many paper cups have a plastic liner which many recycling programs do not accept (though check with yours—it may be accepted).
• When you go out, remember to always keep a reusable cup with you. Some companies (such as Starbucks) may be able to pour your drink into your reusable cup, so be sure to ask. [25] X Research source

Spread the word about reducing paper waste.

• You can talk about the statistics of how much paper is wasted, how much energy is saved when recycling, how many trees are saved by recycling, and any other facts about paper waste you know.
• Give them ideas on what they can do to help. This can be done by telling them what you do to help, and by giving them other ideas that you've found through research or in this article.
• Explain everything properly and avoid rushing through the discussion. You'll also want to be prepared to answer any questions they may have.
• If you notice them wasting paper, be patient with them and explain why the wasting of paper is harmful to the environment, as well as what they can do to reduce paper waste.
• If you see that a business is constantly wasting paper (either by using too many paper bags or too much paper packaging), consider writing to them and politely asking if they can use recycled paper or go paperless if possible.
• Consider a donation to organizations that are known for their efforts to reduce paper waste and/or are known to make an effort to use as little paper as possible. You can find some good organizations to potentially donate to on Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau .

Community Q&A

• Working online frequently may cause eye strain. If you notice that your eyes feel strained, try some steps to relieve eye strain . If your symptoms are severe, contact an ophthalmologist. Try avoiding eye strain to be safe in the first place. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about recycling, check out our in-depth interview with Kathryn Kellogg .

• ↑ https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/paper-waste-facts
• ↑ https://www.visionofearth.org/live-green/31-ways-to-reduce-paper-usage/
• ↑ https://doitgreen.org/tips/reduce-paper-waste-office/
• ↑ https://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/wrapping-christmas-presents-with-newspaper-essay-48059448
• ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/05/at-home/wrapping-activity.html
• ↑ https://www.cutterskiphire.com.au/10-interesting-recycling-facts-that-will-surprise-you-and-what-you-can-do/
• ↑ https://www.binghamton.edu/its/about/organization/technology-support-services/computing-labs/save-paper.html
• ↑ https://sustainability.uic.edu/green-campus/recycling/paper-waste-reduction/
• ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/print-on-both-sides-of-the-paper-duplex-printing-in-word-2cd60d2f-3a57-4210-96ac-9a6ca71ca7a3
• ↑ https://www.indiawaterportal.org/opportunities/advantages-recycling-paper
• ↑ https://www.greenamerica.org/save-trees/how-to-identify-better-paper
• ↑ https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
• ↑ https://www.stopwaste.org/at-work/reduce-and-reuse/reduce-packaging-waste
• ↑ http://www.rainforestrelief.org/What_to_Avoid_and_Alternatives/Paper/Alternatives.html
• ↑ https://www.everydayhealth.com/green-health/daily-living/tips/paper-or-plastic.aspx
• ↑ https://www.greenmatters.com/p/will-starbucks-fill-reusable-cup

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• Technical University in Zvolen,Faculty of Wood Sciences and Technology, Slovakia

František Kačík

Anton geffert *, danica kačíková *.

*Address all correspondence to:

1. Introduction

It is well known the paper production (likewise the other brands of industry) has enormous effects on the environment. The using and processing of raw materials has a variety of negative effects on the environment.

At the other hand there are technologies which can moderate the negative impacts on the environment and they also have a positive economical effect. One of these processes is the recycling, which is not only the next use of the wastes. The main benefit of the recycling is a double decrease of the environment loading, known as an environmental impact reducing. From the first view point, the natural resources conserves at side of the manufacturing process inputs, from the second view point, the harmful compounds amount leaking to the environment decreases at side of the manufacturing process outputs.

The paper production from the recycled fibers consumes less energy; conserves the natural resources viz. wood and decreases the environmental pollution. The conflict between economic optimization and environmental protection has received wide attention in recent research programs for waste management system planning. This has also resulted in a set of new waste management goals in reverse logistics system planning. Pati et al. (2008 ) have proposed a mixed integer goal programming (MIGP) model to capture the inter-relationships among the paper recycling network system. Use of this model can bring indirectly benefit to the environment as well as improve the quality of waste paper reaching the recycling unit.

In 2005, the total production of paper in Europe was 99.3 million tonnes which generated 11 million tonnes of waste, representing about 11% in relation to the total paper production. The production of recycled paper, during the same period, was 47.3 million tonnes generating 7.7 million tonnes of solid waste (about 70% of total generated waste in papermaking) which represents 16% of the total production from this raw material ( CEPI 2006 ).

The consumption of recovered paper has been in continuous growth during the past decades. According to the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), the use of recovered paper was almost even with the use of virgin fiber in 2005. This development has been boosted by technological progress and the good price competitiveness of recycled fiber, but also by environmental awareness – at both the producer and consumer ends – and regulation that has influenced the demand for recovered paper. The European paper industry suffered a very difficult year in 2009 during which the industry encountered more down-time and capacity closures as a result of the weakened global economy. Recovered paper utilisation in Europe decreased in 2009, but exports of recovered paper to countries outside CEPI continued to rise, especially to Asian markets (96.3%). However, recycling rate expressed as “volume of paper recycling/volume of paper consumption” resulted in a record high 72.2% recycling rate after having reached 66.7% the year before ( Fig. 1 ) ( Hujala et al. 2010 ;CEPI 2006; European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2010; Huhtala& Samakovlis 2002 ; CEPI Annual Statistic 2010).

European paper recycling 1995-2009 in million tonnes (European Declaration on Paper Recycling 2006 – 2010, Monitoring Report 2009 (2010) (www.erpa.info)

Recycling is not a new technology. It has become a commercial proposition since Matthias Koops established the Neckinger mill, in 1826, which produced white paper from printed waste paper. However, there were very few investigations into the effect of recycling on sheet properties until late 1960's. From then until the late 1970's, a considerable amount of work was carried out to identify the effects of recycling on pulp properties and the cause of these effects ( Nazhad 2005 ; Nazhad& Paszner 1994 ). In the late 1980's and early 1990's, recycling issues have emerged stronger than before due to the higher cost of landfills in developed countries and an evolution in human awareness. The findings of the early 70's on recycling effects have since been confirmed, although attempts to trace the cause of these effects are still not resolved ( Howard &Bichard 1992 ).

Recycling has been thought to reduce the fibre swelling capability, and thus the flexibility of fibres. The restricted swelling of recycled fibres has been ascribed to hornification, which has been introduced as a main cause of poor quality of recycled paper ( Scallan&Tydeman 1992 ). Since 1950's, fibre flexibility among the papermakers has been recognized as a main source of paper strength. Therefore, it is not surprising to see that, for over half a century, papermakers have supported and rationalized hornification as a main source of tensile loss due to drying, even though it has never been fully understood ( Sutjipto et al. 2008 ).

Recycled paper has been increasingly produced in various grades in the paper industry. However, there are still technical problems including reduction in mechanical strength for recycled paper. Especially, chemical pulp-origin paper, that is, fine paperrequires a certain level of strength. Howard & Bichard (1992 ) reported that beaten bleachedkraft pulp produced handsheets which were bulky and weak in tensile and burst strengthsby handsheet recycling. This behaviour could be explained by the reduction in re-swelling capability or the reduction in flexibility of rewetted pulp fibers due to fiber hornification and, possibly, by fines loss during recycling processes, which decrease both total bondingarea and the strength of paper ( Howard 1995 ; Nazhad&Paszner 1994 ; Nazhad et al. 1995 ; Khantayanuwong et al.2002 ; Kim et al. 2000 ).

Paper recycling is increasingly important for the sustainable development of the paper industry as an environmentally friendly sound. The research related to paper recycling is therefore increasingly crucial for the need of the industry. Even though there are a number of researches ascertained the effect of recycling treatment on properties of softwood pulp fibres ( Cao et al. 1999 ; Horn 1975 ; Howard&Bichard 1992 ; Jang et al. 1995 ), however, it is likely that hardwood pulp fibres have rarely been used in the research operated with recycling treatment. Changes in some morphological properties of hardwood pulp fibres, such as curl, kink, and length of fibre, due to recycling effects also have not been determined considerably. This is possibly because most of the researches were conducted in the countries where softwood pulp fibres are commercial extensively ( Khantayanuwong 2003 ). Therefore, it is the purpose of the present research to crucially determine the effect of recycling treatment on some important properties of softwood pulp fibres.

2. Alterations of pulp fibres properties at recycling

The goal of a recycled paper or board manufacturer is to make a product that meets customers΄ specification and requirements. At the present utilization rate, using recycled fibres in commodity grades such as newsprint and packaging paper and board has not caused noticeable deterioration in product quality and performance ( Čabalová et al. 2009 ). The expected increase in recovery rates of used paper products will require a considerable consumption increase of recycled fibres in higher quality grades such as office paper and magazine paper. To promote expanded use of recovered paper, understanding the fundamental nature of recycled fibres and the differences from virgin fibres is necessary.

Essentially, recycled fibres are contaminated, used fibres. Recycled pulp quality is, therefore, directly affected by the history of the fibres, i.e. by the origins, processes and treatments which these fibres have experienced.

McKinney (1995) classified the history into five periods:

fibre furnish and pulp history

paper making process history

printing and converting history

consumer and collection history

recycling process history.

To identity changes in fibre properties, many recycling studies have occurred at laboratory. Realistically repeating all the stages ofthe recycling chain is difficult especially when including printing and deinking. Some insight into changes in fibre structure, cell wall properties, and bonding ability is possible from investigations using various recycling procedures, testing methods, and furnishes.

Mechanical pulp is chemically and physically different from chemical pulp then recycling effect on those furnishes is also different. When chemical fibres undergo repeated drying and rewetting, they are hornified and can significantly lose their originally high bonding potential ( Somwand et al. 2002 ; Song & Law 2010 ; Kato & Cameron 1999 ; Bouchard & Douek 1994 ; Khantayanuwong et al. 2002 ; Zanuttini et al. 2007 ; da Silva et al. 2007 ). The degree of hornification can be measured by water retention value (WRW) ( Kim et al. 2000 ). In contrast to the chemical pulps, originally weakermechanical pulps do not deteriorate but somewhat even improve bonding potential during a corresponding treatment. Several studies( Maloney et al. 1998 ; Weise 1998 ; Ackerman et al. 2000 ) have shown good recyclability of mechanical fibres.

Adámková a Milichovský (2002 ) present the dependence of beating degree ( SR –Schopper-Riegler degree) and WRV from the relative length of hardwood and softwood pulps. From their results we can see the WRV increase in dependence on the pulp length alteration is more rapid at hardwood pulp, but finally this value is higher at softwood pulps. Kim et al. (2000 ) determined the WRV decrease at softwood pulps with the higher number of recycling (at zero recycling about cca 1.5 g/g at fifth recycling about cca 1.1 g/g).Utilisation of the secondary fibres to furnish at paper production decrease of the initial need of woody raw (less of cutting tress) but the paper quality is not significantly worse.

2.1. Paper recycling

The primary raw material for the paper production is pulps fibres obtaining by a complicated chemical process from natural materials, mainly from wood. This fibres production is very energy demanding and at the manufacturing process there are used many of the chemical matters which are very problematic from view point of the environment protection. The suitable alternative is obtaining of the pulp fibres from already made paper. This process is far less demanding on energy and chemicals utilisation. The paper recycling, simplified, means the repeated defibring, grinding and drying, when there are altered the mechanical properties of the secondary stock, the chemical properties of fibres, the polymerisation degree of pulp polysaccharidic components, mainly of cellulose, their supramolecular structure, the morphological structure of fibres, range and level of interfibres bonds e.g.. The cause of above mentioned alterations is the fibres ageing at the paper recycling and manufacturing, mainly the drying process.

At the repeat use of the secondary fibres, it need deliberate the paper properties alter due to the fiber deterioration during the recycling, when many alteration are irreversible. The alteration depth depends on the cycle’s number and way to the fibres use. The main problem is the decrease of the secondary pulp mechanical properties with the continuing recycling, mainly the paper strength ( Khantayanuwong et al. 2002 ; Jahan 2003 ; Hubbe & Zhang 2005 ; Garg & Singh 2006 ; Geffertová et al. 2008 ; Sutjipto et al. 2008 ). This decrease is an effect of many alterations, which can but need not arise in the secondary pulp during the recycling process. The recycling causes the hornification of the cell walls that result in the decline of some pulp properties. It is due to the irreversible alterations in the cells structure during the drying ( Oksanen et al. 1997 ; Kim et al. 2000 ; Diniz et al. 2004 ).

The worse properties of the recycled fibres in comparison with the primary fibres can be caused by hornification but also by the decrease of the hydrophilic properties of the fibres surface during the drying due to the redistribution or migration of resin and fat acids to the surface ( Nazhad& Paszner 1994 ; Nazhad 2005 ). Okayama (2002 ) observed the enormous increase of the contact angle with water which is related to the fiber inactivation at the recycling. This process is known as „irreversible hornification“.

Paper recycling saves the natural wood raw stock, decreases the operation and capital costs to paper unit, decrease water consumption and last but not least this paper processing gives rise to the environment preservation (e.g. 1 t of waste paper can replace cca 2.5 m 3 of wood).

A key issue in paper recycling is the impact of energy use in manufacturing.Processing waste paper for paper and board manufacture requires energy that isusually derived from fossil fuels, such as oil and coal. In contrast to the productionof virgin fibre-based chemical pulp, waste paper processing does not yield a thermalsurplus and thus thermal energy must be supplied to dry the paper web. If,however, the waste paper was recovered for energy purposes the need for fossil fuelwould be reduced and this reduction would have a favourable impact on the carbondioxide balance and the greenhouse effect. Moreover, pulp production based onvirgin fibres requires consumption of round wood and causes emissions of air-pollutingcompounds as does the collection of waste paper. For better paper utilization, an interactive model, the Optimal Fibre Flow Model, considersboth a quality (age) and an environmental measure of waste paper recycling was developed ( Byström&Lönnstedt 1997 ).

2.1.1. Influence of beating on pulp fibres

Beating of chemical pulp is an essential step in improving the bonding ability of fibres. The knowledge complete about beating improves the present opinion of the fibres alteration at the beating. The main and extraneous influences of the beating device on pulps were defined.The main influences are these, each of them can be improve by the suitable beating mode, but only one alteration cannot be attained. Known are varieties of simultaneous changes in fibres, such as internal fibrilation, external fibrilation, fiber shortening or cutting, and fines formation ( Page 1989 ; Kang & Paulapuro 2006a ; Kang & Paulapuro 2006c ).

Freeing and disintegration of a cell wall affiliated with strongswelling expressed as an internal fibrilation and delamination. The delamination is a coaxial cleavage in the middle layer of the secondary wall.It causes the increased water penetration to the cell wall and the fibre plasticizing.

External fibrillation and fibrils peeling from surface, which particularly or fully attacks primary wall and outside layers of secondary walls.Simultaneously from the outside layers there arecleavage fibrils, microfibrils, nanofibrils to the macromolecule of cellulose and hemicelluloses.

Fibres shortening in any place in any angle-wise across fibre in accordance with loading, most commonly in weak places.

Concurrently the main effects at the beating also the extraneous effects take place, e.g. fines making, compression along the fibres axis, fibres waving due to the compression. It has low bonding ability and it influences the paper porosity,stocks freeness ( Sinke&Westenbroek 2004 ).

The beating causes the fibres shortening, the external and internal fibrillation affiliated with delamination and the fibres plasticizing. The outside primary wall of the pulp fibre leaks water little, it has usually an intact primary layer and a tendency to prevent from the swelling of the secondary layer of the cell wall. At the beating beginning there are disintegrated the fibre outside layers (P and S1), the fibrilar structure of the fibre secondary layer is uncovering, the water approach is improving, the swelling is taking place and the fibrillation process is beginning. The fibrillation process is finished by the weaking and cleavaging of the bonds between the particular fibrils and microfibrils of cell walls during the mechanical effect and the penetration into the interfibrilar spaces, it means to the amorphous region, there is the main portion of hemicelluloses.

Češek& Milichovský (2005 ) showed that with the increase of pulp beating degree the standard rheosettling velocity of pulp decreases more at the fibres fibrillation than at the fibres shortening.

Refining causes a variety of simultaneous changes in the fiber structure, such as internal fibrillation, external fibrillation and fines formation. Among these effects, swelling is commonly recognized as an important factor affecting the strength of recycled paper ( Kang & Paulapuro 2006d ).

Scallan & Tigerstrom (1991 ) observed the elasticity modulus of the long fibres from kraft pulp during the recycling. Flexibility decrease was evident at the beating degree decrease ( SR), and also with the increase of draining velocity of low-yield pulp.

Alteration of the breaking length of the paper sheet drying at the temperature of 80, 100 a 120°C during eightfold recycling

The selected properties of the pulp fibres and the paper sheets during the process of eightfold recycling at three drying temperatures of 80, 100, 120°C.

From the result on Fig. 2 we can see the increase of the pulp fibres active surface takes place during the beating process, which results in the improve of the bonding and the paper strength after the first beating. It causes also the breaking length increase of the laboratory sheets. The secondary fibres wear by repeated beating, what causes the decrease of strength values ( Table 1 ).

The biggest alterations of tear index ( Fig. 3 ) were observed after fifth recycling at the bleached softwood pulp fibres. The first beating causes the fibrillation of the outside layer of the cell wall, it results in the formation of the mechanical (felting) and the chemical bonds between the fibres. The repeated beating and drying dues, except the continuing fibrillation of the layer, the successive fibrils peeling until the peeling of the primary and outside secondary layer of the cell wall. It discovers the next non-fibriled layer S2 (second, the biggest layer of the secondary wall) what can do the tear index decrease. The next beating causes also this layer fibrillation, which leads to the increase of the strength value ( Fig. 3 , Tab. 1 ).Paper strength properties such as tensile strength and Scott bond strength were strongly influenced by internal fibrillation; these could also be increased further by promoting mostly external fibrillation ( Kang & Paulapuro 2006b ).

The course of the breaking length decrease and the tearing strength increase of the paper sheet is in accordance with the results of Sutjipto et al. (2008 ) at the threefold recycling of the bleached (88% ISO) softwood pulps prepared at the laboratory conditions, beated on PFI mill to 25 SR.

Tear index alteration of the paper sheets drying at the temperature of 80, 100 a 120°C, during eightfold recycling

Song & Law (2010 ) observedkraft pulp oxidation and its influence on recycling characteristics of fibres, the found up the fibre oxidation influences negatively the tear index of paper sheets.Oxidation of virgin fibre prior to recycling minimized the loss of WRV and sheet density.

The beating causes the fibres shortening and fines formation which is washed away in the large extent and it endeds in the paper sludges. This waste can be further processed and effective declined.

Within theEuropean Union several already issued and other foreseendirectives have great influence on the waste managementstrategy of paper producing companies. Due to the large quantities ofwaste generated, the high moisture content of the wasteand the changing composition, some recovery methods,for example, conversion to fuel components, are simplytoo expensive and their environmental impact uncertain.The thermal processes, gasification and pyrolysis, seem tobe interesting emerging options, although it is still necessaryto improve the technologies for sludge application.Other applications, such as the hydrolysis to obtain ethanol,have several advantages (use of wet sludge and applicabletechnology to sludges) but these are not welldeveloped for pulp and paper sludges. Therefore, at thismoment, the minimization of waste generation still hasthe highest priority ( Monte et al. 2009 ).

2.1.2. Drying influence on the recycled fibres

Characteristic differences between recycled fibres and virgin fibres can by expected. Many of these can by attributed to drying. Drying is a process that is accompanied by partially irreversible closure of small pores in the fibre wall, as well as increased resistance to swelling during rewetting. Further differences between virgin and recycled fibres can be attributed to the effects of a wide range of contaminating substances ( Hubbe et al. 2007 ). Drying, which has an anisotropic character, has a big influence on the properties of paper produced from the secondary fibres.During the drying the shear stress are formatted in the interfibrilar bonding area. The stresses formatted in the fibres and between them effect the mechanical properties in the drying paper. The additional effect dues the tensioning of the wet pulp stock on the paper machine.

During the drying and recycling the fibres are destructed. It is important to understand the loss of the bonding strength of the drying chemical fibres. Dang (2007 ) characterized the destruction like a percentage reduction of ability of the water retention value (WRV) in pulp at dewatering.

Hornification = [(WRV 0 -WRV 1 )/WRV 0 ]. 100 [%],

WRV 0 –is value of virgin pup

WRV 1 –the value of recycled pulp after drying and reslushing.

According to the prevailing concept, hornification occurs in the cell wall matrix of chemical fibres. During drying, delaminated parts of the fiber wall, i.e., cellulose microfibrils become attached as Fig. 4 shows ( Ackerman et al. 2000 ).

Changes in fiber wall structure ( Weise &Paulapuro 1996 )

Shrinkage of a fiber cross section ( Ackerman et al. 2000 )

Hydrogen bonds between those lamellae also form. Reorientation and better alignment of microfibrils also occur. All this causes an intensely bonded structure. In a subsequent reslushing in water, the fiber cell wall microstructure remains more resistant to delaminating forces because some hydrogen bonds do not reopen. The entire fiber is stiffer and more brittle ( Howard 1991 ). According to some studies ( Bouchard &Douek 1994 ; Maloney et al. 1998 ), hornification does not increase the crystallinity of cellulose or the degree of order in the hemicelluloses ofthe fiber wall.

The drying model of Scallan ( Laivins&Scallan 1993 ) suggests that hornification prevents the dry structure in A from fully expanding to the wet structure in D. Instead, only partial expansion to B may be possible after initial drying creates hydrogen bonds between the microfibrils( Kato & Cameron 1999 )

Weise & Paulapuro (1996 ) did very revealing work about the events during fiber drying. They studied fiber cross section of kraft fibers in various solids by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) and simultaneously measured hornification with WRV tests. Irreversible hornification of fibers began on the degree of beating. It does not directly follow shrinkage since the greatest shrinkage of fibers occurs above 80 % solids content. In Figs. 4 and 5 , stage A represented wet kraft fiber before drying. In stage B, the drainage has started tocause morphological changes in the fiber wall matrix at about 30 % solids content. The fiber wall lamellae start to approach each other because of capillary forces. During this stage, the lumen can collapse. With additional drying, spaces between lamellae continue shrinking to phase C where most free voids in the lamellar structure of the cell wall have already closed. Toward the end of drying in stage D, the water removal occurs in the fine structure of the fiber wall. Kraft fiber shrink strongly and uniformly during this final phase of drying, i.e., at solid contents above 75-80 %. The shrinkage of stage D is irreversible.

At a repeated use of the dried fibres in paper making industry, the cell walls receive the water again. Then the opposite processes take place than in the Fig. 4 and 5 . It show Scallan´s model of the drying in Fig. 6 .

The drying dues also macroscopic stress applied on paper and distributed in fibres system according a local structure.

2.1.3. Properties of fibres from recycled paper

The basic properties of origin wet fibres change in the drying process of pulp and they are not fully regenerated in the process of slushing and beating.

The same parameters are suitable for the description of the paper properties of secondary fibres and fibres at ageing as well as for description of primary fibres properties. The experiences obtained at the utilisation of waste paper showed the secondary fibres have very different properties from the origin fibres. Next recycling of fibres causes the formation of extreme nonhomogeneous mixture of various old fibres. At the optimum utilisation of the secondary fibres it need take into account their altered properties at the repeated use. With the increase number of use cycles the fibres change irreversible, perish and alter their properties. Slushing and beating causes water absorption, fibres swelling and a partial regeneration of properties of origin fibres. However the repeated beating and drying at the multiple production cycles dues the gradual decrease of swelling ability, what influences a bonding ability of fibres. With the increase of cycles number the fibres are shortened. These alterations express in paper properties. The decrease of bonding ability and mechanical properties bring the improving of some utility properties. Between them there is higher velocity of dewatering and drying, air permeability and blotting properties improve of light scattering, opacity and paper dimensional stability.

The highest alterations of fibres properties are at the first and following three cycles. The size of strength properties depends on fibres type ( Geffertová et al. 2008 ).

Drying influences fibres length, width, shape factor, kinks which are the important factors to the strength of paper made from recycled fibres. The dimensional characteristics are measured by many methods, known is FQA (Fiber Quality Analyser), which is a prototype IFA (Imaging Fiber Analyser) and also Kajaani FS-200 fibre-length analyser. They measure fibres length, different kinks and their angles. Robertson et al. (1999 ) show correlation between methods FQA and Kajaani FS-200. A relatively new method of fibres width measurement is also SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) ( Bennis et al. 2010 ). Among devices for analyse of fibres different properties and characteristics, e.g. fibres length and width, fines, various deformations of fibres and percentage composition of pulp mixture is L&W Fiber Tester (Lorentzen & Wettre, Sweden). At every measurement the minimum of 20 000 fibres in a sample is evaluated. On Fig. 7 there is expressed the alteration of fibres average length of softwood pulps during the eightfold recycling at the different drying temperature of pulp fibres.

Influence of recycling number and drying temperature on length of softwood pulps

Influence of recycling number and drying temperature on width of softwood pulps

The biggest alteration were observed after first beating (zero recycling), when the fibres average length decrease at the sheet drying temperature of 80°C about 17%, at the temperature of 100°C about 15.6% and at the temperature of 120°C about 14.6%.

After the first beating the fibres average width was markedly increased at the all temperatures dues to the fibrillation influence. The fibres fibrillation causes the fibre surface increase. Following markedly alteration is observed after fifth recycling, when the fibres average width was decreased. We assume the separation of fibrils and microfibrils from the cell walls dues the separation of the cell walls outside layer, the inside nonfibriled wall S2 was discovered and the fibres average width decreased. After the fifth recycling the strength properties became worse, mainly tear index ( Fig. 3 ).

The softwood fibres are longer than hardwood fibres, they are not so straight. The high value of shape factor means fibres straightness. The biggest alterations of shape factor can be observed mainly at the high drying temperatures. The water molecules occurring on fibres surface quick evaporate at the high temperatures and fibre more shrinks. It can result in the formation of weaker bonds between fibres those surfaces are not enough near. At the beginning of wet paper sheet drying the hydrogen bond creates through water layer on the fibres surface, after the drying through monomolecular layer of water, finally the hydrogen bond results after the water removal and the surfaces approach. It results in destruction of paper and fibre at the drying.

Chemical pulp fines are an important component in papermaking furnish. They can significantly affect the mechanical and optical properties of paper and the drainage properties of pulp ( Retulainen et al. 1993 ). Characterizing the fines will therefore allow a better understanding of the role of fines and better control the papermaking process and the properties of paper. Chemical pulp fines retard dewatering of the pulp suspension due to the high water holding capacity of fines. In the conventional method for characterizing the role of fines in dewatering, a proportion of fines is added to the fiber furnish, and then only the drainage time. Fines suspension is composed of heterogeneous fines particles in water. The suspension exhibits different rheological characteristics depending on the degree of interaction between the fines particles and on their hydration ( Kang & Paulapuro 2006b ).

From Fig. 9 we can see the highest formation of fines were after seventh and eight recycling, when the fibres were markedly weakened by the multiple using at the processes of paper making. They are easier and faster beating (the number of revolution decreased by the higher number of the recycling).

Influence of recycling process and drying temperature on pulp fines changes

The macroscopic level (density, volume, porosity, paper thickness) consists from the physical properties very important for the use of paper and paperboard. They indirectly characterize the three dimensional structure of paper ( Niskanen 1998 ). A paper is a complex structure consisting mainly of a fibre network, filler pigment particles and air. Light is reflected at fibre and pigment surfaces in the surface layer and inside the paper structure. The light also penetrates into the cellulose fibres and pigments, and changes directions. Some light is absorbed, but the remainder passes into the air and is reflected and refracted again by new fibres and pigments. After a number of reflections and refractions, a certain proportion of the light reaches the paper surface again and is then reflected at all possible angles from the surface. We do not perceive all the reflections and refractions (the multiple reflections or refractions) which take place inside the paper structure, but we perceive that the paper has a matt white surface i.e. we perceive a diffuse surface reflection. Some of the incident light exists at the back of the paper as transmitted light, and the remainder has been absorbed by the cellulose and the pigments. Besides reflection, refraction and absorption, there is a fourth effect called diffraction. In other contexts, diffraction is usually the same thing as light scattering, but within the field of paper technology, diffraction is only one aspect of the light scattering phenomenon. Diffraction occurs when the light meets particles or pores which are as large as or smaller then the wavelength of the light, i.e. particles which are smaller than one micrometer (μm). These small elements oscillate with the light oscillation and thus function as sites for new light sources. When the particles or pores are smaller than half of the light wavelength the diffraction decreases. It can be said that the light passes around the particle without being affected ( Pauler 2002 ).

The opacity, brightness, colouring and brilliance are important optical properties of papers and paperboards. For example the high value of opacity is need at the printing papers, but opacity of translucent paper must be lower. The paper producer must understand the physical principles of the paper structure and to determine their characteristics composition. It is possible to characterize nondirect the paper structure. The opacity characterizes the paper ability to hide a text or a figure on the opposite side of the paper sheet. The paper brightness is a paper reflection at a blue light use. The blue light is used because the made fibers have yellowish colour and a human eye senses a blue tone like a white colour.The typical brightness of the printing papers is 70 – 95% and opacity is higher than 90% ( Niskanen 1998 ).

3. Paper ageing

The recycled paper is increasingly used not only for the products of short term consumption (newspaper, sanitary paper, packaging materials e.g.), but also on the production of the higher quality papers, which can serve as a culture heritage medium. The study of the recycled papers alterations in the ageing process is therefore important, but the information in literature are missing.

The recycling is also another form of the paper ageing. It causes the paper alterations, which results in the degradation of their physical and mechanical properties. The recycling causes a chemical, thermal, biological and mechanical destruction, or their combination ( Milichovský 1994 ; Geffertová et al. 2008 ).The effect of the paper ageing is the degradation of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin macromolecules, the decrease of low molecular fractions, the degree of polymerisation (DP) decrease, but also the decline of the mechanical and optical properties ( El Ashmawy et al. 1974 ; Valtasaari & Saarela 1975 ; Lauriol et al. 1987a ,b,c; Bansa 2002 ; Havermans 2003 ; Dupont & Mortha 2004 ; Kučerová & Halajová, 2009 ; Čabalová et al. 2011 ).Cellulose as the most abundant natural polymer on the Earth is very important as a renewable organic material. The degradation of cellulosebasedpaper is important especially in archives and museums where ageing in various conditions reduces the mechanical properties and deteriorates optical quality of stored papers, books and other artefacts. The low rate of paper degradation results in the necessity of using accelerating ageing tests. The ageing tests consistin increasing the observed changes of paper properties, usually by using different temperature, humidity, oxygen content and acidity, respectively. Ageing tests are used in studies of degradation rate and mechanism. During the first ageing stages—natural or accelerated—there are no significant variations in mechanical properties: degradation evidence is only provided by measuring chemical processes. Oxidation induced by environmental conditions, in fact, causes carbonyl and carboxyl groups formation, with great impact on paper permanence and durability, even if mechanical characteristics are not affected in the short term ( Piantanida et al. 2005 ). During the degradation two main reactions prevail – hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds and oxidation of glucopyranose rings. As a result of some oxidation processes keto- and aldehyde groups are formed. These groups are highly reactive; they are prone to crosslinking, which is the third chemical process of cellulose decay ( Bansa 2002 , Calvini & Gorassini 2006 ).

At the accelerated paper ageing the decrease of DP is very rapid in the first stages of the ageing, later decelerates. During the longer time of the ageing there was determined the cellulose crosslinking by the method of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) ( Kačík et al. 2009 ). The similar dependences were obtained at the photo-induced cellulose degradation ( Malesic et al. 2005 ).

An attention is pay to the kinetic of the cellulose degradation in several decades, this process was studied by Kuhn in 1930 and the first model of the kinetic of the cellulose chains cleavage was elaborated by Ekenstam in 1936.This model is based on the kinetic equation of first-order and it is used to this day in modifications for the watching of the cellulose degradation in different conditions. Hill et al. (1995 ) deduced a similar model with the

Alterations of DP (degree of polymerisation) of cellulose fibres due to recycling and ageing at the pulp fibres drying temperature of 80°C, 100°C a 120°C.

contribution of the zero order kinetic. Experimental results are often controversial and new kinetic model for explanation of cellulose degradation at various conditions was proposed ( Calvini et al. 2008 ). The first-order kinetic model developed by these authors suggests that the kinetics of cellulose degradation depends upon the mode of ageing. An autoretardant path is followed during either acid hydrolysis in aqueous suspensions or oven ageing, while the production of volatile acid compounds trapped during the degradation in sealed environments primes an autocatalytic mechanism. Both these mechanisms are depleted by the consumption of the glycosidic bonds in the amorphous regions of cellulose until the levelling-off DP (LODP) is reached.

At the accelerated ageing ofnewspaper ( Kačík et al. 2008 ), the cellulose degradation causes the decrease of the average degree of polymerisation(DP). The DP decrease is caused by two factors in accordance with equation

DP = LODP + DP01.e -k1.t + DP02.e -k2.t ,

where LODP is levelling-off degree of polymerisation. There is a first factor higher and quickdecreasing during eight days and a second factor is lower and slow decreasing and dominant aftereight days of the accelerating ageing in the equation. The number of cleavaged bonds can be welldescribed by equation

DP 0 /DP t – 1 = n 0 .(1-e -k.t ),

where n 0 is an initial number of bonds available for degradation. The equation of the regression function is in accordance with Calvini et al. (2007 ) proposal, the calculated value (4.4976) is in a good accordance with the experimentally obtained average values of DP 0 a DP 60 (4.5057). The DP decreased to cca 38% of the initial value and the polydispersity degree to 66% of the initial value. The decrease of the rate constant with the time of ageing was obtained also by next authors ( Emsley et al. 1997 ; Zervos & Moropoulou 2005 ; Ding & Wang 2007 ). Čabalová et al. (2011 ) observed the influence of the accelerated ageing on the recycled pulp fibres, they determined the lowest decrease of DP at the fibres dried at the temperature of 120°C ( Fig. 10 ).

The simultaneous influence of the recycling and ageing has the similar impact at the drying temperatures of 80°C (decrease about 27,5 %) and 100°C (decrease about 27.6%) in regard of virgin pulp, lower alterations were at the temperature of 120°C (decrease about 21.5%). The ageing of the recycled paper causes the decrease of the pulp fiber DP, but the paper remains good properties.

4. Conclusion

The recycling is a necessity of this civilisation. The paper manufacturing is from its beginning affiliated with the recycling, because the paper was primarily manufactured from the 100 % furnish of rag. It is increasingly assented the trend of the recycled fibers use from the European and world criterion. The present European papermaking industry is based on the recycling.

The presence of the secondary fibres from the waste paper, their quality and amount is various in the time intervals, the seasons and the regional conditions. It depends on the manufacturing conditions in the paper making industry of the country.

At present the recycling is understood in larger sense than the material recycling, which has a big importance from view point of the paper recycling. Repeatedly used fibres do not fully regenerate their properties, so they cannot be recycled ad anfinitum. It allows to use the alternative possibilities of the paper utilisation in the building industry, at the soil reclamation, it the agriculture, in the power industry.

The most important aim is, however, the recycled paper utilisation for the paper manufacturing.

Acknowledgments

This work was financed by the Slovak Grant Agency VEGA (project number 1/0490/09).

• 11. CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industries). 2006 Special Recycling 2005 Statistics- European Paper Industry Hits New Record in Recycling. 27.02.2011, Available from: http://www.erpa.info/images/Special_Recycling_2005_statistics.pdf
• 12. CEPI (Confederation of European Paper Industrie). 2010 Annual Statistic 2009. 27.02.2011, Available from: http://www.erpa.info/download/CEPI_annual_statistics%202009.pdf
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A review of waste paper recycling networks focusing on quantitative methods and sustainability

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• Volume 23 , pages 55–76, ( 2021 )

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• Cristiane Maria Defalque   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6984-5405 1 , 2 ,
• Fernando Augusto Silva Marins 1 ,
• Aneirson Francisco da Silva 1 &
• Elen Yanina Aguirre Rodríguez 1  

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A discussion is currently under way in the literature on the sustainable benefits of recycling material, particularly paper, which has high global consumption and polluting capacity. Optimized planning of waste paper recycling networks stimulates sustainable processing efficiency, motivating the investigation of quantitative methods to guide decision-making. The objective of this article is to review papers that present quantitative models for planning waste paper recycling networks considering optimization of the echelons of this process, to analyze the evolution of research, find research opportunities and contribute to future research. The article presents an analysis of five categories of the selected studies: I—evolution of publications; II—echelons considered in different waste paper recycling systems; III—the sustainability pillars considered in the objectives of the formulated model; IV—formulations and techniques used; and V—uncertainty analysis. The proposal for waste paper recycling networks involves summary of the echelons considered in selected articles, to help future analysis. Research suggestions involving sustainability objectives, especially considering social issues, using different solution techniques and considering uncertainty were identified. This study, by reviewing the articles and identifying possibilities for future research, contributes to the development of research using quantitative methods for the efficient management of waste paper recycling networks or similar arrangements.

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Source: prepared by the authors. The data were obtained from Scopus— www.scopus.com and Web of Science— www.webofknowledge.com . The maps were built using VOSviewer [ 63 ]

Source: prepared by the authors

Source: prepared by the authors. Selected articles (Table 3 ) available in databases and other references described in “ Research method ”

Source: prepared by the author. Selected articles (Table 3 ) available in databases and other references described in “ Research method ”. Number of citations obtained from Scopus— www.scopus.com and Web of Science— www.webofknowledge.com

Source: prepared by the authors, based on echelons considered in the analyzed articles (Table 3 )

Source: prepared by the authors, based on echelons and operations verified in the analyzed articles (Table 3 )

Source: prepared by the authors, based on analyses of the selected articles (Table 3 )

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed in part by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq—302730/2018; CNPq—303350/2018-0), the São Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP—2018/06858-0; FAPESP—2018/14433-0) and the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel—Brazil (CAPES)—Finance Code 001.

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Defalque, C.M., Marins, F.A.S., da Silva, A.F. et al. A review of waste paper recycling networks focusing on quantitative methods and sustainability. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 23 , 55–76 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-020-01124-0

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Paper Recycling

Assessment model print, strong explanatory essay.

The middle school writer of this explanatory essay explores paper recycling.

Title: Paper Recycling

Level: Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8

Mode: Explanatory Writing

Form: Explanatory Essay

Completed Rubric: Paper Recycling Rubric

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Student Model

People in record numbers are recycling paper at work and at home. Last year, in fact, 20 million tons of paper were recycled—a big increase from the previous year. Paper recycling has now become an important part of the daily lives of many Americans.

Believe it or not, paper recycling has even become a big business. Today, industry recycles paper not just because it is a good thing to do, but because it makes good business sense. Since Americans throw away more paper than anything else, there is a lot to be gained by recycling paper. For example, Fort Howard Corporation of Green Bay, Wisconsin, produces tissue made entirely of recycled paper. Foreign countries are even buying our paper waste. If you see a MADE IN TAIWAN tag on a paper product, at another time it was probably a newspaper in America. Taiwan buys all of its paper from the United States.

The process of paper recycling is a simple one. First, paper is collected and sorted. Recyclable paper includes typing paper, newspaper, cardboard, scrap paper, index cards, and computer printouts. This recyclable paper is dumped into a vat of water and chemicals. A large spinning blade mixes the paper to a pulp. This pulp is dried on screens, and the new paper is formed on cylinders. Newspapers, cereal and shoe boxes, toilet tissue, paper towels, building insulation, egg cartons, and even livestock bedding are made from recycled paper.

Not all types of paper can be recycled. Most recycling equipment cannot handle envelopes, carbon paper, glossy paper, photographs, or paper with scotch tape, glue, or staples in it. These types of paper must be sorted out. However, new equipment is being developed now to work with these items. For example, equipment is almost ready to remove ink from glossy magazine and catalog paper so that it can be recycled.

Although landfills are still filling up with waste, recycling is becoming a success story. About 40 percent of plastics, 45 percent of paper, and 60 percent of aluminum are recycled. Thousands of community programs are in place to recycle paper products. Big business has discovered the advantages of making paper products that can be reused many times. People seem to realize that recycling is the right thing to do to help clean up America and make it a better place to live.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Recycling — The Impact of Recycling on Sustainability and Waste Reduction

The Impact of Recycling on Sustainability and Waste Reduction

• Categories: Recycling Waste Management

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Words: 1070 |

Published: Sep 12, 2023

Words: 1070 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Waste reduction and conservation of natural resources, pollution reduction, innovative recycling practices, application across different contexts, 1. using recycled materials, 2. reducing packaging waste, 3. using renewable energy, public policy.

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Recycling Paper Waste to Make Pencils: An Eco-Friendly Project by Engineering Students in India

Pencils, an ubiquitous tool around the world massively used by students, particularly those enrolled in primary and secondary education, are normally not the product of a recycling process. Yet, target 12.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls to “substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse”. In light of this, but also given the environmental impact of the production of wooden pencils, students from the Rajalakshmi Engineering College , a UNAI member institution in India, developed an innovative solution.

It is estimated that over 8 million trees are being chopped annually to produce pencils that we use on a daily basis. Over 13 million hectares of forests are lost to deforestation, out of which 36% is for paper manufacturing and 42% is for manufacturing timber-based products that constitutes about 18-20 billion pencils. Moreover, nearly 85 billion tons of paper waste are generated each year and 40% of them end up in landfills. In addition to landfills, 9 billion used pens are thrown away all over the world annually, accounting to plastic accumulation.

With this reality in mind, the ‘Kaagith’ project was born. This project is aimed at creating paper based pens and pencils. Around 40 students have spent several hours working on it, creating products out of recycled materials, while liaising with a wide range of stakeholders to ensure that the benefits of this project are passed on to local and vulnerable groups. The overall objective is to focus on reducing dependence on wood for pens by using recycling and in the process, also provide livelihoods to underprivileged communities.

Discarded newspapers and papers are being used to manufacture pencils and pens. In adidition to this, seeds are embedded in both pens and pencils to promote afforestation, in line with the provisions of Goal 15: Life on Land , which in its target 15.2 specifically calls to “substantially increase” such efforts, globally. Plantable seeds which are embedded in these pens and pencils potentially can germinate and become a tree or a plant when discarded properly, and thereby aid at promoting afforestation while at the same time, reducing carbon footprints.

‘Kaagith’ products are available in multiple colors to appeal aesthetically to potential consumers. Products are also provided in customizable kits to encourage companies promote eco-friendly practices. The direct beneficiaries of this project include paper waste collectors who supply raw materials and domestic migrant workers who assist in the manufacturing of these products. “Caught up in this COVID-19 pandemic, this team gave us a ray of hope,” highlights Prabhu B, a domestic migrant worker from the state of Bihar, in eastern India.

The sales of the products make local retailers indirect beneficiaries by allowing them to obtain a substantial income. The team in charge of the project expects that more than 200 families are likely to be positively impacted in the short term. “The mid-term and the long term prospects of the revenues look very promising,” says Mothieshwar.J.K, team leader. They also expect to scale up this project by entering into formal arrangements to manufacture and market the products at a much larger level.

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Essay on Waste Management

• Updated on  
• May 11, 2023

Every year, the amount of waste is doubling because of the increasing population around the world. The 3Rs, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle should be followed to help in waste management. Waste management is the need of the hour and should be followed by individuals globally. This is also a common essay topic in the school curriculum and various academic and competitive exams like IELTS , TOEFL , SAT , UPSC , etc. In this blog, let us explore how to write an essay on Waste Management.

This Blog Includes:

Tips for writing an essay on waste management , what is the meaning of waste management, essay on waste management in 200 words, essay on waste management in 300 words .

To write an impactful and scoring essay, here are some tips on how to manage waste and write a good essay:

• The initial step is to write an introduction or background information about the topic
• You must use a formal style of writing and avoid using slang language.
• To make an essay more impactful, write dates, quotations, and names to provide a better understanding
• You can use jargon wherever it is necessary, as it sometimes makes an essay complicated
• To make an essay more creative, you can also add information in bulleted points wherever possible
• Always remember to add a conclusion where you need to summarise crucial points
• Once you are done, read through the lines and check spelling and grammar mistakes before submission

Waste management is the management of waste by disposal and recycling of it. It requires proper techniques while keeping in mind the environmental situations. For example, there are various methods and techniques through which the waste is disposed of. Some of these are Landfills, Recycling, Composting, etc. These methods are useful in disposing of waste without causing any harm to the environment.

Sample Essays  on Waste Management

To help you write a perfect essay that would help you score well, here are some sample essays to give you an idea about the same.

One of the crucial aspects of today’s society is waste management. Due to a surge in population, the waste is generated in millions of tons day by day and affects the lives of a plethora of people across the globe. Mostly the affected people live in slums that are extremely close to the waste disposal areas; thus, they are highly prone to communicable and non-communicable diseases. These people are deprived of necessities to maintain a healthy life, including sanitation and proper hygiene. 

There are various methods and techniques for disposing of waste including Composting, Landfills, Recycling, and much more. These methods are helpful in disposing of waste without being harmful to the environment. Waste management is helpful in protecting the environment and creating safety of the surrounding environment for humans and animals. The major health issue faced by people across the world is environmental pollution and this issue can only be solved or prevented by proper waste management so that a small amount of waste is there in the environment. One of the prominent and successful waste management processes, recycling enables us not only in saving resources but also in preventing the accumulation of waste. Therefore it is very important to teach and execute waste management.

The basic mantra of waste management is” Refuse, Reuse, Reduce, Repurpose, and Recycle”. Waste management is basically the collection or accumulation of waste and its disposal. This process involves the proper management of waste including recycling waste generated and even generating useful renewable energy from it. One of the most recent initiatives taken by various countries at the local, national and international levels, waste management is a way of taking care of planet earth. This responsible act helps in providing a good and stable environment for the present and future generations. In India, most animals get choked and struggle till death because they consume waste on the streets.

So far many lives are lost, not only animals but also humans due to a lack of proper waste management. There are various methods and techniques for disposing of waste including Composting, Landfills, Recycling, and much more. These methods are helpful in disposing of waste without being harmful to the environment. Waste management is helpful in protecting the environment and creating safety of the surrounding environment for humans and animals. This process of waste management evolved due to industrialization as prior to these inventions simple burying was sufficient for disposing of waste.

One of the crucial things to control waste is creating awareness among people and this can only be achieved only when the governments and stakeholders in various countries take this health issue seriously. To communicate with various communities and reach each end of the country, the message can be communicated through media and related platforms. People also need to participate in waste management procedures by getting self-motivated and taking care of activities of daily living. These steps to create consciousness about waste management are crucial to guarantee the success and welfare of the people and most importantly our planet earth.

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We hope this blog has helped you structure a terrific essay on waste management. Planning to ace your IELTS, get expert tips from coaches at Leverage Live by Leverage Edu .

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Plastic Pollution Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on plastic pollution.

Plastic is everywhere nowadays. People are using it endlessly just for their comfort. However, no one realizes how it is harming our planet. We need to become aware of the consequences so that we can stop plastic pollution . Kids should be taught from their childhood to avoid using plastic. Similarly, adults must check each other on the same. In addition, the government must take stringent measures to stop plastic pollution before it gets too late.

Uprise of Plastic Pollution

Plastic has become one of the most used substances. It is seen everywhere these days, from supermarkets to common households. Why is that? Why is the use of plastic on the rise instead of diminishing? The main reason is that plastic is very cheap. It costs lesser than other alternatives like paper and cloth. This is why it is so common.

Secondly, it is very easy to use. Plastic can be used for almost anything either liquid or solid. Moreover, it comes in different forms which we can easily mold.

Furthermore, we see that plastic is a non-biodegradable material. It does not leave the face of the Earth . We cannot dissolve plastic in land or water, it remains forever. Thus, more and more use of plastic means more plastic which won’t get dissolved. Thus, the uprise of plastic pollution is happening at a very rapid rate.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Impact of Plastic Pollution

Plastic Pollution is affecting the whole earth, including mankind, wildlife, and aquatic life. It is spreading like a disease which has no cure. We all must realize the harmful impact it has on our lives so as to avert it as soon as possible.

Plastic pollutes our water. Each year, tonnes of plastic are dumped into the ocean. As plastic does not dissolve, it remains in the water thereby hampering its purity. This means we won’t be left with clean water in the coming years.

Furthermore, plastic pollutes our land as well. When humans dump Plastic waste into landfills, the soil gets damaged. It ruins the fertility of the soil. In addition to this, various disease-carrying insects collect in that area, causing deadly illnesses.

Should Plastic Be Banned? Read the Essay here

Most importantly, plastic pollution harms the Marine life . The plastic litter in the water is mistaken for food by the aquatic animals. They eat it and die eventually. For instance, a dolphin died due to a plastic ring stuck in its mouth. It couldn’t open its mouth due to that and died of starvation. Thus, we see how innocent animals are dying because of plastic pollution.

In short, we see how plastic pollution is ruining everyone’s life on earth. We must take major steps to prevent it. We must use alternatives like cloth bags and paper bags instead of plastic bags. If we are purchasing plastic, we must reuse it. We must avoid drinking bottled water which contributes largely to plastic pollution. The government must put a plastic ban on the use of plastic. All this can prevent plastic pollution to a large extent.

FAQs on Plastic Pollution Essay

Q.1 Why is plastic pollution on the rise?

A.1 Plastic Pollution is on the rise because nowadays people are using plastic endlessly. It is very economical and easily available. Moreover, plastic does not dissolve in the land or water, it stays for more than hundred years contributing to uprise of plastic pollution.

Q.2 How is plastic pollution impacting the earth?

A.2 Plastic pollution is impacting the earth in various ways. Firstly, it is polluting our water. This causes a shortage of clean water and thus we cannot have enough supply for all. Moreover, it is also ruining our soils and lands. The soil fertility is depleting and disease-carrying insects are collecting in landfills of plastic.

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Moscow missile plant ablaze in apparent drone attack

Tomilinsky Electronic Plant research and production enterprise in Lyubertsy, Moscow Oblast, is reportedly ablaze after a drone attack on Sep. 1, according to our sister publication, Ukrainska Pravda .

The Tomilinsky plant is under sanctions by the Ukrainian government as it manufactures electronics for Russian missile systems.

The plant was attacked in an operation directed by Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), who believe they have achieved their aim, a well-informed source told Ukrainska Pravda.

The HUR has thus far refused to publicly confirm or deny its involvement. The agency’s spokesman, Andriy Yusov, commented that Russian state media had issued "a mountain" of lies about the attack and said that "cotton has really blossomed" at the plant in Lyubertsy on Friday.

Explosions in Russia or Russian-held territory far behind the frontlines are popularly referred to in Ukraine as “bavovna”, or “cotton” in English.

Drones tried to attack the Russian capital on Sept. 1 , said Moscow mayor Serhiy Sobyanin, adding that one drone was allegedly shot down near Lyubertsy.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

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File : Flag of Lyubertsy (Moscow oblast) (2007).svg

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• Symbols of Lyubertsy
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