As the sustainability movement continues to grow in popularity, more and more organizations are looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact. Recycling waste is certainly one of those aspects that should be adopted by every organization irrespective of their size.
“With natural resources dwindling and demand for domestic and international shipping increasing, there is not a more important time to recycle your consumer OCC and paper than right now,” says Michael Lis from Waste Control.
Recycling paper products is one approach that can have a huge impact on the environment and help save a ton of waste from ending up in landfills. In fact, recycling one ton of office paper can save enough energy to power the average three-bedroom home for six months. It can also save 7,000 gallons of water and enough trees to fill a football field.
While paper recycling has been around for centuries, there’s still a long way to go for organizations to leverage the opportunity to reduce their environmental impact. In this blog post, we will explore the benefits of paper recycling and how your business can get started.
Why is Paper Recycling Important?
Paper recycling is one of the most effective ways to reduce environmental pollution from the paper industry. Paper production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and recycled paper helps to offset these emissions.
In addition, paper recycling conserves resources, including trees. It takes about 24 trees to make one ton of virgin copy paper, but only nine trees to make the same amount of recycled paper. This saving of resources also reduces the amount of energy needed to produce paper.
Recycling paper also reduces the amount of solid waste in landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, waste paper and old corrugated cardboard (OCC) make up about 26 percent of municipal solid waste in the United States. So by recycling your organization’s paper and cardboard waste, you prevent a lot of this waste from ending up in landfills and causing environmental concerns. There is a huge demand for cardboard boxes and recycled paper for various personal and industrial uses. It is also one of the easiest items to recycle and there are numerous vendors available who will help you with waste paper recycling. So there’s really no excuse for your organization not to engage in waste paper and cardboard recycling.
Paper waste including box boards, OCC, and other forms have a huge demand as well. These are waste commodities that can fetch you a good price in the market. Recyclers and various industries use paper waste products to produce paperboard and other products which can be quite useful. These recyclers will also pay you a price for baled paper waste. This can of course helps you recoup some of the investment you are making in waste stream management.
Why is Baling Paper Waste Critical?
Waste paper baling is an important part of the overall recycling process.
Most paper products can be recycled, including office paper, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, and junk mail. Baling paper recyclables is a simple process that can be done on-site at most recycling facilities.
Once the paper is sorted and placed in the baler machine, it compresses the material into tightly bound bundles. These bales can then be transported to a local recycling center or sold to a paper mill for reprocessing.
Several benefits make baling waste paper a necessity. Shredding and baling paper scrap, old newspapers(ONP), and other paper waste products is a standard practice that the recyclers expect you to do.
Baling Paper Waste Saves you Transport Cost
Baling your paper waste can save you a significant amount of money on transportation costs. Balers or compactors are an essential part of the waste stream management process because they can compress tons of paper waste which would normally occupy a larger volume into smaller compact bales. By doing so, you can reduce the number of trips needed to haul the waste away and also reduce the amount of time spent on loading and unloading.
Baling paper waste is a great way to save money, but it’s important to make sure that you’re baling the right type of paper. Some types of writing, such as glossy or coated papers cannot be recycled and should not be baled.
Baling can Save the Space you Need to Store Waste
Baling has another important role. It can help you save a lot of space. Storage space in your facility is a premium, and using it to store waste is an opportunity cost loss. Baling can reduce the overall volume of the waste paper and thus it takes up less storage space while it is getting ready to be shipped. There is also the added benefit that it reduces litter. Shredders and other equipment can produce scraps of paper which can end up littering the facility if not taken care of properly. Baling can compress paper waste and reduce the chances of littering.
How to Set up a Paper Waste Recycling Process in your Organization?
To set up a paper waste recycling process in your organization, there are a few key steps that need to be followed.
Audit and Determine Waste Sources
First, you will need to identify where the paper waste is coming from within your organization. A waste audit will be a great place to start. This could include office paper, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, etc. One of the things to do is to try to reduce the overall production of paper waste so that you do not have to recycle as much. You could also look at ways to reuse some of the paper waste in other parts of your process. Once you have identified the sources of the paper waste, you will need to set up a system for collecting this waste. This could involve setting up bins in strategic locations or working with a local recycling company to pick up paper waste regularly.
Sorting Paper Waste
Sorting paper waste is one of the key steps in recycling paper. By properly sorting paper waste, organizations can ensure that the material is recycled into new products efficiently and effectively.
There are a few key points to keep in mind when sorting paper waste:
- Paper should be separated from other types of waste material. This includes separating magazines, newspapers, cardboard, and other paper types.
- The paper should be sorted by grade. Grades are determined by the quality of the paper and its suitability for recycling.
- The sorted paper should be free of contaminants such as food waste, plastic, or metal.
Organizations can sort paper waste themselves or contract with a waste management company, like us at Waste Control, to do it for you. Either way, sorting paper correctly is essential to successful recycling initiatives.
Finding Paper Recycling Vendors in the US and Overseas
There are several ways to find vendors who recycle paper and cardboard. One way is to contact your local waste management company or department. Many municipalities have programs that allow businesses and organizations to recycle their paper waste.
Another way to find vendors is to search online directories such as Recycler’s World or Paper Recycling Directory. These directories list companies that buy and sell recycled paper products.
Once you’ve found a few potential vendors, it’s important to compare their prices and services. Some companies may charge higher prices but offer better customer service or more convenient pick-up times. Others may have lower prices but fewer locations where they accept recycled materials. A key advantage of working with Waste Control is that we will negotiate the best possible rates across international and domestic buyers, taking the hassle away from our clients.
Finally, it’s essential to ask about the vendor’s environmental policies. Make sure they follow all applicable laws and regulations regarding the storage, transportation, and processing of recycled materials
When we work with our clients, we take care of this for you. Waste Control has a network of clients both within the US and in overseas locations who can purchase paper waste from you and can pay you premium prices for your paper waste commodities.
Baling Paper Waste
The first step in baling paper waste is to determine what type of machine is best suited for the materials being processed. There are two main types of balers – horizontal and vertical – each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Horizontal balers are typically better suited for handling large volumes of material, while vertical balers take up less space and are easier to operate.
Once the type of baler has been selected, the next step is to determine the size and weight capacity that is needed. Baler sizes can range from small tabletop models to large industrial-sized machines. The size of the machine will be determined by the amount of space available for storage and operation, as well as the volume of material that needs to be processed.
After selecting the appropriate machine, organizations will need to purchase or lease Baler equipment and accessories. This includes items like bale wires or straps, which are used to secure the bales during transport.
Waste Control helps you find the right equipment for your needs. There are options including buying new machines, renting or leasing machines, or even purchasing refurbished machines.
Keeping Track of your Recycling
Finally, it’s time to ship the baled paper waste to your chosen vendor and get it recycled. It is also important to keep a record of your overall recycling process. It is important for regulatory compliance as well as to know how your process can get better eventually.
Conclusion
There are many ways for organizations to identify and leverage opportunities in paper recycling. The most important thing is to clearly understand the process and what materials can be recycled. Once you have that knowledge, you can start looking for ways to reduce your waste, save money, and help the environment.
Working with a waste management company like Waste Control is going to help you reduce your overall paper recycling costs, make your process more efficient and of course, reduce the administrative time and overheads you have.
We have a track record of working with hundreds of organizations in total waste stream management. Get in touch with us today!