Uses for Recycled Paper: The Practical and the Quirky

22nd Jan 2021 by Lloyd Bowen

The issue of climate change has reached a critical stage, with many environmental experts saying that now is the time to act in order to reduce and reverse the damage caused by global warming, as well as the effect we have on the natural world through such things as deforestation.

We can all act in the fight against climate change.

One of the many actions we can take to make a positive difference is to reduce, reuse and recycle:

  • Reduce the amount we purchase, as consumers, such as single use plastics.
  • Reuse items instead of throwing them away, such as plastic bottles, boxes, clothes etc.
  • Recycle all waste materials that can be recycled, such as plastic, glass, metal, wood and paper.

At Maltings Secure Shredding, not only do we guarantee our customers a secure, GDPR compliant document shredding service, but we also see to it that 100% of the waste material is recycled, thus helping our customers reduce their carbon footprint in the process.

The shredded waste-paper material may be taken and recycled for use as a number of different products.

Office Paper

The most common use for recycled paper is… paper. The use of recycled waste-paper material in paper mills has grown over the years, as methods of producing higher quality print paper from recycled materials have improved.

According to San Mateo County RecycleWorks in the USA, "Each 20 cases of recycled paper saves 17 trees, 390 gallons of oil, 7,000 gallons of water, and 4,100 kwh of energy. It also eliminates 60 pounds of air-polluting emissions and saves 8 cubic feet of landfill space."

Toilet Paper and Tissue

Opting for toilet paper and tissues made from recycled paper is a very eco-friendly purchasing decision. Tens, if not hundreds of thousands of trees could be saved if every household in the UK replaced only one roll of virgin fibre toilet roll with 100% recycled ones.

These items are made from white and coloured recycled papers, where processors rinse them several times to remove dyes and then sanitise them. Many are also bleached; however, it is recommended that you not purchase white, or bleached paper products as the chlorine used in bleaching paper is harmful to the environment. Instead, naturally coloured toilet paper and tissues are available and are recommended.

Napkins and Paper Towels

Napkins and paper towels are deemed to be highly wasteful products. The best and most eco-friendly alternative would be to use cloth rags for multiple household tasks and cloth napkins to reuse over multiple meals, rather than single use sheets.

Depending on the situation, reusable cloths may not always offer the best sanitary option if potentially harmful substances are involved, such as waste biological matter, and so paper towels and napkins made from recycled paper are still a good option to help reduce waste.

Greeting Cards

Much like paper towels and napkins, greeting cards are single-use and so are very wasteful of materials. Using greeting cards made from recycled paper is, therefore, a far more environmentally friendly method of passing on best wishes to a treasured contact. To check whether the greeting card you are purchasing is made from recycled paper, look at the back of the card – most recycled cards will have this information printed on them.

Cardboard

A highly useful material, cardboard is used for packaging and storing a wide range of items, from eggs, cereal, and pizza boxes to cleaning supplies, flatpack furniture and confidential documents! Cardboard can be manufactured from 100% recycled paper and much like greeting cards, you can usually check the packaging to see whether it is made from recycled materials.

Art Paper is a versatile material that can be used to make a wide range of items that can be both quirky and practical. Artists have repurposed waste-paper material into beautiful creations such as wall art, bowls, and dresses, while others have created lampshades, seating and even functional clocks!

Take a look at some of these wonderfully innovative creations made from recycled paper HERE.

Our document shredding customers are safe in the knowledge that their confidential data is handled securely by our professional team. By shredding their confidential waste with us, they can rest assured that their chosen method of document destruction is compliant with GDPR.

Not only do we protect our customers from data breach, but by ensuring all materials we collect for destruction are recycled (whether that be paper or IT equipment) we also contribute to protecting the environment from unnecessary waste.

For more information on how our services can support your business in remaining GDPR compliant, as well as helping to reduce your company’s carbon footprint, please contact a member of our team.

Tel: 029 2079 3434

Email: enquiries@themaltingsdss.co.uk

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