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How does wasting paper affect the environment?
Pulp and paper is the 3rd largest industrial polluter of air, water and soil. Chlorine-based bleaches are used during production which results in toxic materials being released into our water, air and soil. When paper rots, it emits methane gas which is 25 times more toxic than CO2.
What happens if paper is not recycled?
If you don’t recycle your used paper and instead throw it into the trash, it goes where all trash goes — to the landfill. The EPA cites landfills as the single largest source of methane emissions to the atmosphere, and has identified the decomposition of paper as among the most significant sources of landfill methane.
Why is recycling paper good for the environment?
Using recycled paper to make new paper reduces the number of trees that are cut down, conserving natural resources. Recycling paper saves landfill space and reduces the amount of pollution in the air from incineration.
Why is reducing paper waste important?
Paper waste contains toxic ink, dyes and polymers that could be carcinogenic when incinerated. However, 50\% less energy is used when recycling rather than using new, fresh wood for paper. By minimising paper use, you’ll be helping to reduce the amount of pollution in our water, air and land.
What are the advantages and disadvantages in using waste paper or scrap paper in the process of pulp and paper making?
The investment in waste water treatment facilities is lower for making recycled paper pulp than making original pulp. Waste paper pulp has advantages of low raw material cost, low energy consumption and low investment, and its production cost is lower than the original pulp, too.
Does recycling paper save trees?
The amount of wood and paper we throw away each year is enough to heat 50,000,000 homes for 20 years. Each ton (2000 pounds) of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water.
Why paper should be recycled and not wasted?
It has a number of important benefits: It saves waste paper from occupying homes of people and producing methane as it breaks down. Because paper fibre contains carbon (originally absorbed by the tree from which it was produced), recycling keeps the carbon locked up for longer and out of the atmosphere.
Does saving paper save trees?
How can we save trees by not wasting paper?
Use these 30+ tips to help save the trees we so desperately need to preserve our environment.
- Get a dry erase board.
- Make use of the virtual world.
- Cut back on using paper dishes.
- Use less paper towels.
- Sign up for paperless billing.
- Use your phone more often.
- Find out how you can stop receiving junk mail.