[GreenYes] Re: Recycled paper in trouble?

[Susan Kinsella <susan@no.address>]

Hi, Nancy,

Thanks for your suggestions. Some comments:

?   The problem is not at the individual sorting level, but at the
processing level. If materials are going to be collected mixed, they have to
be able to be sorted back out at the processing centers. My research
indicates that the MRFs have not caught up to the collection changes,
especially from single stream. Also, that most recycling programs/processors
are not focused on the goal of providing quality feedstocks for
manufacturing, but rather on clearing their materials out the door every
day. Those could mean the same thing, but currently usually do not.

?   Good point about confidentiality. In fact, for a while there was an
upswing in materials available to deinking mills because shredders were
accessing many offices that weren¹t otherwise recycling. But the shredders
commonly mix in lots of plastics and stickies such as x-rays and patient
charts from medical offices, and they are often using machinery that
pulverizes the paper fibers, so there is not as clear a path from shredding
to recycling as there should be. That could be developed.

?   Nonwood paper fiber sources make up fairly substantial percentages of
papermaking in other countries, but are so miniscule in the U.S. and Canada
that they¹re hardly a blip (other than cotton). There are many different
kinds of potential nonwood fiber sources, each with its own unique profile,
and many logistics and processing challenges to solve to bring them to more
widespread commercial use. There is some research going on into several
different possibilities, especially in Canada.

?   I agree that e-books and e-magazines will probably play larger and
larger roles, although currently many people say they are uncomfortable with
reading electronically for long selections. BTW, I¹m finding it interesting
to note how, in many cases, online billing and electronic publications are
shifting paper use from the information provider (billing company,
publisher) to the user (individual who prints out the info, often at home).

Susan

-- 
Susan Kinsella
Executive Director
Conservatree
San Francisco, CA
Phone - 415/561-6526
E-mail Fax - 509/756-6987
susan@no.address, seek@no.address
skype - susanekinsella
http://www.conservatree.org



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