Technology Produces Value
Since the industrial revolution, paper was made primarily from tree and
other plant fibers. Today, modern paper makers use raw material paper making
fibers from renewably planted resources or by paper recycling. Over 65% of
all the paper products now manufactured the United States are made in part,
or entirely from recycled cellulose fibers.
Paper recycling involves reprocessing the usable components in paper grades
recovered from municipal and commercial recycling programs. Recovered paper
is our "urban resource" for paper making fibers. These are primarily paper
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grades such as magazines, newspapers, office papers and old corrugated
boxes. These paper grades are sorted for their specific fiber quality and
then marketed to paper manufacturers. Manufacturers then pulp the paper into
a liquefied slurry. The pulp then goes through several de-ink, washing and
cleaning stages. Finally the sanitized cellulose fibers are reformed into
specific new paper products on high speed, modern equipment.
Paper recycling strives to capture the valuable materials in discarded
paper, which would otherwise go to landfills as waste, and gives those
"urban resources" a new life as clean, useful products. Recycling saves
natural resources, creates new jobs and reduced waste.
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