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Paper Recycling

December 8, 2008 by Eugene  
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Paper is the most common type of waste in Singapore and about 1.26 million tonnes of paper waste was generated in 2008. The recycling rate of paper is 48% in 2008, and most of this paper waste is sorted, baled and exported overseas for recycling as there are no paper recycling mills in Singapore.

Let’s take a closer look at paper recycling:

1. Types of Paper for Recycling

The different types of paper waste are collected and usually separated into the following categories for recycling.

  • Newspapers
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Magazines
  • White office paper
  • Mixed paper

2. Why Recycle Paper

There are environmental benefits to paper recycling. According to Waste Online:

Producing recycled paper involves between 28 – 70% less energy consumption than virgin paper and uses less water. This is because most of the energy used in papermaking is the pulping needed to turn wood into paper.

Recycled paper produces fewer polluting emissions to air (95% of air pollution) and water. Recycled paper is not usually re-bleached and where it is, oxygen rather than chlorine is usually used. This reduces the amount of dioxins which are released into the environment as a by-product of the chlorine bleaching processes.

And according to Friends of the Earth:

Paper recycling leads to savings in the use of raw materials for pulp and paper production and less wood is used. This should result in less intensive forest management and take the pressure off exploitation of old growth forests, vitally important for their biodiversity.

3. The Paper Recycling Process

At the paper recycling plant, sorted paper goes into a pulper where they are washed and screened to remove unwanted items like metals and plastics. The paper pulp then undergoes a floatation process to remove inks and adhesives. The resulting paper slurry is spread on wire meshes and drained of water using rollers to form sheets of paper.

Watch this animation video on the paper recycling process from RecycleBank:

YouTube Preview Image

4. Recycled Paper Products

Paper waste such as white office paper, corrugated cartons and newspapers can be recycled back to its original use. Magazines, mixed paper, newspapers and corrugated cartons are recycled as cardboards, toilet papers, paper towels, egg cartons, kraft paper, etc.

Watch how toilet paper is made from recycled paper:

YouTube Preview Image

5. Paper Recycling in Singapore

In Singapore, about 1.26 million tonnes of paper waste was generated in 2008 and the recycling rate is 48%. Paper waste is usually collected through the recycling programmes and traditionally by the karang guni men, waste paper collectors and traders.

The paper waste are sorted by type, baled or placed in containers, and exported overseas for recycling as there are no paper recycling mills in Singapore.

6. Collectors, Traders and Recycling Companies for Paper

The list of collectors and traders for paper is available at the NEA website.

7. What Can I Do

You can recycle paper through the various recycling programmes at home, in school and your office, or through the public recycling bins in your neighbourhood. But before you do so, remember to minimise your paper waste by Reduce and Reuse.

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Comments

14 Comments on "Paper Recycling"

  1. Patrick on Tue, 20th Oct 2009 10:31 pm 

    Does anyone know what exactly the garanguni man does with the old newspaper? Will he trade it in for recycling?

    Cheers,

    Patrick

  2. Eugene on Wed, 21st Oct 2009 10:53 am 

    Yes, they will sell the newspapers to a recycling collector for export

  3. Aquene on Fri, 23rd Oct 2009 9:57 am 

    Hi, I live around Joo Chiat area. The karang guni around here prefer to collect only newspaper. They reject corrugated paper carton and mixed paper waste (mostly junk mails). How can we find someone who is willing to collect all types of paper ?

  4. Eugene on Fri, 23rd Oct 2009 11:14 am 

    Hi Aquene, use the existing recycling programmes in your estate (if any), or use the public recycling bins located at most MRT stations and at housing estates (http://www.zerowastesg.com/our-initiatives/map-of-recycling-bins/).

  5. Aquene on Sat, 24th Oct 2009 10:35 am 

    Hi Eugene,

    I have 4 cartons of mixed paper waste at home waiting to be collected. I am not sure if I will be using up more fuel to bring these cartons to a nearby public recyclng bin or to wait for a willing karang guni.

    You see, I counted there are at least 3 to 4 different karang guni driving around the area in their lorries. By going around, they are also consuming fuel and emitting exhaust gas. Should there be just one so that here is no overlapping and waste ?

    May I suggest a new initiative: that we build a database of karang guni. We should help them to plan the area each of them serve, and probably the schedule and route to take. Resident can go to a website to indicate they have something to be collected so that the karang guni in that area will visit the house and collect.

  6. Eugene on Mon, 26th Oct 2009 7:56 pm 

    Hi Aquene, the karang gunis are not regulated by NEA, which is why there can be multiple groups serving the same area. This also means it’s difficult to build a database when anyone can be a karang guni.

  7. Yang yanjun on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 8:42 am 

    Hi, Eugene:
    My company wants to study use photocopy paper that made from recycled paper. And I tried to ask some paper suppliers, they do not have recycled paper made photocopy paper. So do you know any companies in Sigapore are selling photocopy paper that made from recycled paper.

    Thank you.

  8. Eugene on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 5:18 pm 

    Hi Yanjun, you can find the companies providing recycled paper in the list of Green Label products http://www.sec.org.sg/awards/greenlabel/buygreen.

  9. Yang yanjun on Mon, 8th Feb 2010 4:36 pm 

    Thanks, Eugene.

  10. Ayuni on Tue, 29th Jun 2010 9:56 pm 

    Hello. Me and my friends joined a Clean and Green fashion competition. We decided to use only paper as our materials. Im just wondering, when we have cut and paste the papers (mostly white office and mahjong paper) and make it into a dress, can it still be recycled? And where can we get affordable plain white recycled papers for this project?

  11. Mackenzie Ward on Thu, 1st Jul 2010 1:42 am 

    Recycling is very very important in order to preserve mother earth.`’`

  12. Avery Nelson on Wed, 28th Jul 2010 6:31 pm 

    we should always think about recycling our waste products to help the environment.~;~

  13. Patrick Low on Tue, 31st Aug 2010 3:21 pm 

    Hi Eugene, I am a Singaporean staying overseas. Just want to check do you have any ideas which are the company that are the recycling collector and will buy in the all the used news paper? And if I am interested in this business, where can I sell them too. Please advice.. Thanks

  14. Eugene on Wed, 1st Sep 2010 11:39 am 

    Hi Patrick, you can refer to the list of paper collectors at http://app2.nea.gov.sg/topics_collectrade.aspx

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