The life cycle of recycled paper from recycling bin to final product

Most consumers are unaware of the steps and parties involved in the process of transforming paper recovered from recycling bins into final products.

As a manufacturer of commercial papers with up to 100 per cent recycled content, Rolland sees waste paper as a valuable resource. By offering sustainable paper products and helping to transform paper from recycling bins into new products, Rolland allows its customers to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to a circular economy.

The graphic below illustrates the journey of post-consumer recycled paper, from recycling bin to final product [ click to enlarge ]:

Legend

• Recycling Bin Paper is collected from recycling bins at national and regional levels and transported to Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs)
• Sorting Centers MRFs receive, separate and prepare recyclable materials
• Recyclable Paper Bales Recyclable paper materials are compacted into large rectangular bales
• Sustana Fibers Facility Recyclable paper materials are transported to Sustana’s recycled fibers facility
• Pulping, Screening & Washing Recyclable paper is blended in a pulping machine with water into a coarse pulp. Fibers are screened & washed to remove solid impurities and ink particles
• Post-Consumer Recycled Fibers Fibers are thickened by dewatering, cut into sheets and baled
• Rolland Paper Mill Fiber bales are transported to Rolland’s Paper Mill
• Paper Machine Fibers are mixed with water, refined, screened, then processed using Rolland’s equipment, dried and formed into large rolls of paper
• Converting Rolls of recycled paper are transported to Rolland’s converting center and cut into sheets
• Final Products Sheets of post-consumer recycled paper are transported to end-users and turned into final products

Stats sources

• 1) https://www.usi.edu/recycle/paper-recycling-facts/
• 2) https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Solid-Waste-Final.pdf
• 4) https://www.sustanagroup.com/blog/envirolife-sustainability-solution-food-packaging
• 5) Schneider, Jim. Personal interview. May 24, 2018.
• 7) https://www.rollandinc.com/en/blog/extraordinary-water-conservation-everyday-result-rolland
• 8) https://www.rollandinc.com/en/blog/print-great-and-recycled-paper-makes-it-even-better
• 10) https://www.rollandinc.com/en/environmental-stewardship/eco-calculator

We need to look at a lot of the myths and feelings we have around printing sustainability and harvesting trees that we carry with us from the past. What does the term ‘tree friendly’ imply? Does it mean that it is somehow environmentally responsible – or better for our planet? Here’s a rundown of the current ‘green’ alternatives out there in the industry.

Sugar Cane Paper

On the surface, it seems like an amazing environmental choice – it is manufactured from the reside waste of sugar cane.

However, we don’t know a lot about the environmental regulations in many of the countries where it is manufactured – especially concerning treatment of waste or by-products of the manufacturing process. In addition, many regions of the world where sugarcane is grown and processed still use oil and coal as energy sources. It would likely be safe to assume that the conversion and manufacturing process itself is very energy intensive. What are the ramifications of this combination?

An often neglected and hidden factor in the product choices we make is transportation and shipping. Freighters burn cheap bunker oil; it is only now that that the damaging effects of the shipping and transportation industries have come to the forefront. How does shipping impact the environmental footprint of these papers that come from the tropics?

Cocoon and Rolland EnviroPrint | 100% Post-Consumer Waste Papers

Cocoon is a new brand of coated papers made from 100% post-consumer waste. We do need to keep in mind, however, that this paper is manufactured in Europe. While we can assume very high standards and regulations, transport must also be considered.

The Rolland manufacturing plant is in Quebec. Rolland gets 90% of its mill’s energy needs from biogas — transported in a dedicated, 8 mile pipeline from a nearby landfill. Because it uses biogas and processes chlorine-free, it is a top choice all the 100% PCW papers available.

Stone Paper

Another option often marketed as ‘green’ is Stone Paper. We can often favor it over synthetic stocks because it is manufactured from calcium carbonate. It is, however, bonded with high-density polyethylene (HDPE).  The HDPE content is generally around 20%, so every 100 lbs. of this paper contains 20 lbs. of plastic. It’s ‘tree friendly,’ but not environmentally friendly at all.

FSC Papers

The best choice might just be FSC certified paper (with varying levels of recycled post-consumer waste). In North America, we no longer ‘harvest’ trees, we ‘farm’ them; the forests are valued as renewable resources.

North American paper manufactures (with the FSC) are maintaining our forests in sustainable ways. This is not just optics.  Without a truly renewable way of moving forward, the industry realized it would not survive. Pulp and Paper manufacturers are constantly audited by the FSC and manufacturing processes are review to regulatory bodies and laws. In addition, the energy sources to manufacture pulp and paper are generally much cleaner in North America.

Conclusion

The fact that we are at the point where we think about making green and better choices is a positive and optimistic step. We must, however, make sure that we weigh all the options and think critically about each of the choices we make to ensure they are well thought out and not made on a purely emotional basis.