Cardboard & Paper Recycling

The Facts

• In 2003/4 card and paper comprised almost a quarter of the household waste that was recycled and this amounted to about 1.3 million tonnes. In total about 5 million tonnes is recycled.
• However, almost 5 million tonnes still went to landfill or for incineration per annum. Paper biodegrading in landfill sites gives off methane gas which is a greenhouse gas, twenty times more potent than carbon dioxide, so sending paper to landfill is the least desirable option.
• Global demand for paper continues to rise and is expected to do so for the next 15 years at least.
• Although recycling paper has significant benefits for the environment, the demand for virgin pulp will continue. Post consumer waste (i.e. paper previously printed on and used) can only be recycled 4-6 times and each time must have some virgin pulp added to it to maintain the strength and quality of the fibre.
• The International Institute for Environment and Development stated that the paper industry is the third largest industrial emitter of greenhouse gases. Much of this can be avoided by using recycled paper as there is a 30-70% saving in water and energy. The pulping to turn the wood into paper is avoided when using recycled as is the chlorine based bleaching.
• Over half of the total consumption of paper and board in the UK has to be imported as we do not have the necessary production capacity.
• For every tonne of paper used for recycling, the savings are:
• Over 30,000 litres of water saved
• 4,200 KWh less electricity used
• 20 lbs of carbon dioxide and nearly 40 lbs of nitrogen in reduced emissions. 95% less air pollution
• The following types of paper, in daily usage, are suitable for recycling:
• cardboard
• newspapers, magazines, telephone directories & pamphlets
• computer print out paper
• office white paper
• mixed or colour paper
• In total there are about 50 grades that can be recycled. Some types e.g. tissue paper, food parchment paper cannot be recycle due to hygiene or technical reasons.
• The key to recycling economically is bulk, especially for materials that in themselves do not weigh heavy.

Businesses discard around three quarters of a million tonnes of printing and writing papers per annum. For every person in an office, an average of three kilograms of waste paper is used each month and not recycled.

However there are ways to improve this situation, such as only print paper copy if absolutely necessary, use both sides of the paper, use recycled paper and recycle all waste, used paper.

Office Paper Recycling with Rabbitt Recycling

	Paper is collected in the desk tidy and taken to the recycling container that sits in the office area. It houses a clear plastic sack.
	The sacks are taken and placed whole in the 1100 litre wheelie bin.
	The wheelie bin is checked for quality and lifted into the mobile compaction vehicle for delivery to the local branch of the recycling company.

There is a cost per quarter to this service. Details on application.