Page 169 - Volt Elevate The World Around Us Book 4

be recycled into new paper which will save thousands of trees. Recycling of paper is

especially important – old newspapers and notebooks are collected, pulped, cleaned
and pressed into sheets of new paper. This process reduces deforestation, saves energy,
and minimises landfill waste.

Recycling of Paper

Paper is one of the most commonly used materials in our daily life. We use it in books,

notebooks, newspapers, packaging and many other items. Since paper is made from
wood, using too much of it leads to cutting down of trees. To save trees and the
environment, paper can be recycled and reused. Let’s learn about the steps involved in

recycling of paper.
y Collection of waste paper: Used paper such as newspapers, notebooks, cardboard

and magazines are collected from homes, schools, offices and shops.
y Sorting of paper: The collected paper is sorted according to quality and type. For
example, newspaper, cardboard and office papers are separated because each type
is recycled differently.

y Shredding and pulping: The sorted paper is cut into small pieces and mixed with
water and chemicals. This mixture is beaten to form a soft, pulpy material called

slurry or pulp.
y Removing inks and impurities: The pulp contains ink, glue, and other impurities.
These are removed by washing, filtering and a process called de-inking. Sometimes
air bubbles are used to lift ink particles to the surface for removal.

y Bleaching: To make the paper white and clean, the pulp is sometimes bleached
using safe chemicals. This step is important when making writing paper or high-

quality printing paper.
y Pressing and drying: The cleaned pulp is spread out on large screens and rollers. The
water is drained out and the pulp is pressed and dried to form thin sheets of paper.

y Rolling and cutting: The dried sheets are rolled into big rolls of paper and cut into
required sizes for making notebooks, newspapers, tissues or packaging material.

shredding and pulping of paper rolling of recycled paper

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