Important facts about waste paper

By using recovered paper, you are making a valuable contribution to environmental protection. But how is the raw material processed, what can be made from it and what are the benefits? You can find out all the important facts about waste paper in this article.

What is waste paper?

All paper waste from households, offices or commercial enterprises counts as waste paper. Those who separate their waste ensure that this waste product becomes a valuable raw material again. The products that can be made from it are of high quality and are in no way inferior to "normal" paper.

As a result, there is now a suitable recycled paper for almost every need. The idea of recycling used paper is not new. As early as 1774, Justus Claproth, a professor at the University of Göttingen, developed a corresponding process together with the paper miller J. E. Schmid.

The two inventors could not have imagined that several centuries would pass before waste paper recycling became a matter of course. Whereas 50 years ago waste paper collectors were still roaming the streets, today paper waste is usually disposed of in the blue garbage can (or yellow garbage can in some places) or in special collection containers.

It is important that really only pure paper waste ends up there.

This belongs in the waste paper:

Newspapers and magazines
Books and notebooks
Printer paper and cardboard folders from the office
uncoated wrapping paper
Egg cartons
Paper and cardboard packaging of all kinds

This does NOT belong in the waste paper:

Wallpaper scraps
Beverage cartons and other composite materials
Wax and oil papers
Carbonless paper
waterproof or greaseproof impregnated paper and cardboard materials (beverage cups, baking paper, etc.)
soiled paper packaging (e.g. pizza boxes)
Papers with strong adhesive applications (self-adhesive labels, sticky notes)
Papers and cardboards with varnish- or plastic film layers

Waste paper is an important raw material from which high-quality products can be sustainably manufactured.

Current figures

Waste paper return rate:

In 1990, the recovered paper return rate in Germany was still 44 percent. In the following years and decades, it rose steadily and by 2020 had already reached a proud 79.3 percent. Of a total of 18.3 million tons of used paper, waste management companies were able to collect and recycle 14.5 million tons.

This clearly shows that private and commercial consumers have developed more environmental awareness and are acting more responsibly. In an international comparison, Germany's recovered paper return rate puts it in a good fourth place behind China, the USA and Japan.

Waste paper input rate:

In Germany, around 21.4 million tons of paper, cardboard and cardboard packaging were produced in 2020. This involved the use of 16.9 million tons of recovered paper, which corresponds to a ratio of around 79 percent. Twenty years earlier, this ratio had still been 60 percent.

This development shows how much the German paper industry has also intensified its commitment to sustainability and environmental protection. However, the proportion of recovered paper used varies depending on the type of paper. While newspapers and packaging, for example, consist of almost 100 percent recovered paper, the proportion of recovered paper used in the production of coffee filters is still less than 50 percent.

Infographic consumption cell and paper industry

What are the advantages of using recovered paper?

Less wood consumption: No trees are felled for recycled paper. By using recycled paper, you are therefore making an important contribution to climate protection and the preservation of unique habitats. The resource wood is conserved overall and the wood from sustainable cultivation is available for other purposes.
Less water consumption: Compared to Fresh fiber paper is used for the production of
Recycled paper up to 70 percent Less water is needed. Even with a single ton of paper, this makes a difference of 30,000 liters. So here, too, recovered paper offers an effective way of conserving resources.
Less energy consumption: On average, only half as much energy is needed to produce recycled paper as to produce primary fibers from wood. So you can even actively save energy by using recycled paper.
Less environmentally harmful chemicalsvirgin fiber paper has to be bleached much more than recycled paper. So by using recycled paper, you are contributing to Less toxic chemicals into the environment. You protect nature and do something for the health of us all.
Fewer greenhouse gas emissions: Waste paper usually reaches the mill via short routes. There are no long transports as with wood, so there are also fewer CO2 emissions. Wherever you have the opportunity, you should therefore choose paper products, packaging and cardboard made from recovered paper.

Recycling waste paper conserves resources and is a significant factor in climate protection.

How is waste paper processed?

The waste paper is first sorted according to quality grades. These are based on the degree of contamination by foreign substances such as printing inks, adhesives or staples. Then the actual reprocessing process begins, which consists of several phases:

Defibering (suspension): During defibering, the material density of the paper is changed in a so-called pulper so that it becomes pumpable. Any impurities present are crushed as little as possible so that they can be easily removed later.
Sorting: The paper mass now passes through several Sorting operations. Special mechanisms ensure that impurities separate from the paper fibers due to their deviating density or size.
It is important that as little as possible of the valuable fiber is lost in the process.
Removal of printing inks (deinking): The more ink the fiber still contains, the grayer the end product. For the whitest possible Recycled paper the color must therefore be dissolved out.
Bleaching is done with the help of caustic soda, hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals. Depending on the desired result, different processes are used. While flotation selectively removes the color, wash deinking also dissolves fines and fillers.

A more even structure of the recycled paper can be achieved by dispersion. For this purpose, the dirt particles are broken up by mechanical energy to such an extent that they are no longer recognizable as individual dots.

For further processing, the recovered paper is sorted and cleaned of foreign matter. A higher white content can be achieved by deinking.

What is made from waste paper?

Much of the waste paper is processed into packaging
and newsprint.

Packaging, cardboard packaging, corrugated board, and even newsprint today are mostly made from 100 percent recovered paper. In these areas, there is no longer any reason to still use primary fibers.

An environmentally friendly version made from recycled paper is also available for exercise books, printer paper, greeting cards and many other products. The quality and feel of the "eco paper" are just as high as those of conventional paper goods.

It is available in various degrees of whiteness and can be printed normally. Of course, recovered paper is also used for the production of sanitary papers. Whether paper handkerchiefs, paper tow els or toilet paper - they can all be produced sustainably from recovered paper.

If you make a conscious decision to buy such products, you will be making an important contribution to rethinking our society. Due to their use, but also for technical reasons, sanitary papers can no longer be recycled. Because of their wet-strength properties, the dissolution of the structure is considerably delayed.

Making them from primary fibers is therefore tantamount to a particularly serious waste of resources. In stores, you can easily recognize paper products made from recycled paper by their seal. The Blue Angel, the official environmental label of the German government, is particularly significant in this regard. If you see it on a paper product, you can be sure that it is made from 100 percent recycled paper.

When purchasing sustainable paper goods, the Blue Angel seal serves as a guide.

Are there any disadvantages to using waste paper?

Of course, the costly collection of waste paper is not without environmental impact. After all, containers have to be produced, transported and emptied regularly.

However, the bottom line is that the conservation of valuable resources in paper production clearly outweighs this. The use of recycled paper is therefore the more sustainable solution. In terms of quality and appearance, recycled paper has no disadvantages today anyway.

However, there is one thing you should know: Unwanted substances can accumulate in waste paper cycles. These are usually water-soluble chemicals such as those contained in adhesives, thermal paper or certain printing inks.

Recycled paper is therefore only suitable to a limited extent as food contact paper (for packaging flour or sugar, for example). Nevertheless, there is a positive trend here as well, because printed products are becoming more and more environmentally friendly. Many print shops now use inks based on vegetable oil, and this also reduces the pollutant load of the waste paper.

Waste paper is almost always the better solution. The only restrictions are when used as food contact paper.

Conclusion

The use of recovered paper helps to save resources. Forests are conserved, habitats are preserved and the consumption of water and energy is significantly reduced. Cardboard boxes made from recycled paper therefore offer a sustainable packaging solution. If you decide to use it, you will contribute to climate protection and improve your company's image at the same time. If you can't do without paper, you should always use recycled paper.

FAQ

Question: Why is the use of recovered paper good for the environment?
Answer: The production of paper from recycled recovered paper is significantly more ecological than the production of paper from primary fibers. It saves wood, water and energy and produces less greenhouse gases. In addition, because recycled paper requires less bleaching, fewer chemicals are released into the environment.

Question: What can waste paper be used for?
Answer: Waste paper is suitable for the manufacture of all kinds of paper products. This includes packaging, cardboard and newsprint, as well as office supplies and sanitary paper. Only paper that comes into direct contact with food is subject to a certain restriction.

Question: Is recycled paper inferior?
Answer: No. Today, the production of paper goods from recovered paper is so technically mature that recycled paper can hardly be distinguished from virgin fiber paper. The feel, look and color reproduction are virtually identical.