How many times can you recycle a piece of paper?
by Raki Wright | Last Updated December 30, 2015According to the technical association of the paper pulping and recycling industry, you can reuse old paper five to seven times. This sounds simple, but how can you tell how many times any individual cellulose fiber has been processed? Luckily, the fibers check themselves out when their time is done.
Paper is recycled by turning it back into its basic form – individual cellulose fibers – in big vats of water and chemicals. Young, studly fibers, on only their second or third go-rounds, maintain their long, springy form. Geriatric fibers are brittle and eventually shatter. These pieces are filtered out or skimmed off in the processing, before the new paper is made.
From San Diego Reader
