Sources and origins
Paper is made from new fibres or Used materials that have been reprocessed to make new materials. material. Wood fibres processed and reduced down with chemicals or mechanically broken down into smaller parts to make paper. is obtained by cutting down trees and breaking down the wood. The bark and chippings are then removed and ground down or cooked with chemicals to extract the A carbohydrate. It forms the cell wall in plant cells. fibres. Softwood trees have a fast growth rate and are coniferous - they usually have needles and cones and do not drop their leaves. are traditionally used to create wood pulp as the fibres are longer, making stronger paper; some manufacturers plant new trees for each one they chop down.
The pulp is filtered, squeezed, bleached and pounded before other materials, such as chalk or chemicals, are added to change the How visible something is. and An ability to hold a liquid such as water. of the paper. The excess water and chemicals are drained out of the pulp by pushing it through sets of rollers, called A high-pressure roller., before being shaken and blown to dry out the fibres. This process is repeated until the pulp is fully dried, and then it is pressed to create a smooth finish.
- mechanical pulp - by mechanically grinding the wood chips down into paper pulp, used for lower grade papers such as newspapers
- chemical pulp - uses chemicals to reduce the wood chips down and dissolve into cellulose fibres to make the paper pulp, used for higher quality paper
Additional A series of processes., or Layers of a product such as paint or varnish that are applied to a surface., can be added to give the paper different How something looks..
Recycling paper
Many different types of papers and boards can be recycled, including newspapers, shredded paper, cardboard boxes, letters and envelopes, egg boxes, paper bags and magazines.
| Benefits of recycling paper | Drawbacks of recycling paper |
| Conserves natural resources | Not always cost-effective |
| Saves landfill space | High upfront costs |
| Reduces greenhouse gas emissions | There are not always recycling facilities available |
| Saves energy | Recycling sites are commonly unsafe with potentially hazardous waste |
| Benefits of recycling paper | Conserves natural resources |
|---|---|
| Drawbacks of recycling paper | Not always cost-effective |
| Benefits of recycling paper | Saves landfill space |
|---|---|
| Drawbacks of recycling paper | High upfront costs |
| Benefits of recycling paper | Reduces greenhouse gas emissions |
|---|---|
| Drawbacks of recycling paper | There are not always recycling facilities available |
| Benefits of recycling paper | Saves energy |
|---|---|
| Drawbacks of recycling paper | Recycling sites are commonly unsafe with potentially hazardous waste |
