Panel Discussion: Barriers to Paper Recycling, 1994 Recycling Symposium Proceedings

S. Abubakr

Recycling of paper is being used as the means to achieve a number of environmental benefits. For example, recycling diverts wastepaper from the landfill and reduces the number of trees that must be harvested to satisfy our nation’s paper needs. More than 40 states and 3,500 communities currently have mandatory collection laws and engage in source separation and collection of recyclable paper products. Public demand for recycling of paper products is not expected to diminish but increase. However, recycling is not without its technical challenges which often times act as barriers to the increased use of recycled products. Technologically, the recycling process (deinking, cleaning, screening, dispersion) produce sludges that are characteristically different and may require the development of alternative disposal methods. Also, the processes involved are energy intensive, which can increase the need to burn fossil fuels to produce the needed electricity. Fundamental understanding of the fiber-contaminant interactions will help reduce the number of process steps needed to produce papermaking-quality pulp and thereby decrease the amount of energy and water needed. Reclaimed fibers, being a natural product, also suffers degradation of properties each time they are recycled, often leading to a lower quality product. With consumers demanding higher quality products while at the same time wanting increased recycling, new technologies are needed to overcome these barriers. A holistic view of recycling must be taken to improve the performance of the recycling process. Technological barriers cannot be addressed individually, because they are interrelated and addressing individually usually creates other problems. The cooperative efforts of producers, consumers, municipalities, environmentalists, and government institutions are needed to make recycling effective and economically feasible on a national scale.