Although our world is increasingly digital, we still use paper quite regularly in our daily lives for various reasons.
For those who still subscribe to print catalogs, magazines, and newspapers, we know how quickly the bills pile up.
Can we recycle them after they’re read, or is all of it destined to end up in landfills as incinerated trash or litter? Read on to learn more.
Table of Contents [Hide]
- How to Recycle Paper, Catalogs, Magazines & Newspapers
- So why is some paper recyclable, and some types aren’t?
- Is Paper Recycling Mandated Anywhere?
- What Can I Do with Old Papers, Catalogs, Magazines & Newspapers?
- How is Paper Recycled?
- What Can Be Made of Recycled Paper?
- What are Easy Alternatives to Paper, Catalogs, Magazines, and Newspapers?
- What is Paper Made Of?
- Are Paper Products Bad for the Environment?
- The Bottom Line
How to Recycle Paper, Catalogs, Magazines & Newspapers
You can put printer paper, cardstock, envelopes, catalogs, newspapers, and magazines in curbside recycling!
According to the American Forest and Paper Association, other paper products that can be recycled include:
- Notebooks
- Stationery
- Phone books
- Cardboard
- Paperboard
- Pizza boxes
- Other food containers (make sure they’re clean and dry).
However, certain kinds of paper are not recyclable, including:
- Used paper towels and plates
- Wax paper
- Tracing paper
- Napkins
- Laminated paper
- Toilet paper and paper towels
But you can recycle the cardboard tubes. - Paper coffee cups
They include a plastic coating to keep your drink hot. - Tissue paper
Most recycling facilities do not accept tissue paper. - Brightly colored paper
Muted tones and pastels are easier to recycle. This is because the rich color of one brightly colored paper will dye the rest of the paper in the recycling facility. Keeping all the paper a light color makes it easier to repurpose. - Sticky notes may classify as “mixed paper” because of their adhesive back. However, some curbside recycling facilities don’t accept sticky notes because of their bright color. Call your local recycling center to check.
- Paper plates (if they’re clean, you can recycle them.)
- Paper straws (most likely, you can’t recycle them for various reasons, but you can compost them.)
- Shredded paper (Certain curbside programs accept shredded paper if bagged separately, so it could be worth calling them, but most do not. Instead of shredding paper, consider blacking out your sensitive information from papers, tearing them a few times, then recycling them. For documents that must be shredded, search your area for a facility that handles shredded paper for recycling.)
- Greeting cards (you can recycle them, but first remove any non-paper aspects, like glitter or music-playing devices.)
- Wrapping paper (you can recycle regular and glossy wrapping paper. Do not recycle wrapping paper that contains non-paper materials like glitter, plastic, etc.).
- Receipts (paper ones are recyclable, but thermal ones aren’t. It’s very hard to tell the difference, so to be safe, just throw them all away.)
- It depends on your locality regarding juice boxes and milk cartons made from paper. Some accept these in curbside recycling, and some do not. Some also accept paper packaging of non-refrigerated liquids such as soup and non-dairy milk. It’s best to call your local recycling facility to confirm.
- Some food containers are made of paper lined with plastic, which might not be accepted in your locality’s curbside recycling program. Call ahead first to check.
So why is some paper recyclable, and some types aren’t?
In the recycling process, paper fibers are shortened. So, it’s best to start out with a paper with long, strong fibers. Because of its long fibers, printer paper can be recycled up to seven times.
Toilet paper, tissue paper, tissues, napkins, and paper towels have shorter fibers, so they cannot be recycled.
Is Paper Recycling Mandated Anywhere?
Yes, recycling paper is required by law in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C.
But if you lived there and made a mistake with your paper recycling, don’t worry: landfills and waste collectors have regulations that ensure the paper will end up at the correct recycling center.
What Can I Do with Old Papers, Catalogs, Magazines & Newspapers?
It’s always good to have some on hand – if only to stick under a table leg to even out a crooked table.
Crumpled-up pages can be used as stuffing for packages. Newspapers make excellent wrapping paper for birthdays and holidays. If you have a traditional fireplace at home or a bonfire area in the backyard, papers and newspapers make excellent kindling.
Wrapping green tomatoes in the newspaper will help them ripen faster, and wrapping apples in the newspaper will prevent them from rotting.
To get creative, make a vision board or collage by cutting out inspirational photos from old magazines and catalogs. Paper mâché, using newspaper combined with glue, can keep kids entertained for hours.
Best of all, wet, shredded newspaper is beneficial for composting!
How is Paper Recycled?
Recycled paper uses 40% less energy to make than paper from raw materials. Here’s how the process works:
- It begins at your recycling bin.
- All contaminants are removed on a conveyor belt at the Materials Recovery Facility.
- The paper is separated and sent to a paper mill.
- The pulper mixes paper with water, blending and breaking it down. This is where tape and staples are removed.
- The fibrous mixture is cleaned, dried, and then rolled into paper. Good as new!
Adhesives, staples, inks, paper clips, and other materials are removed from the paper in this process. Of course, ensuring your paper is as clean as possible (definitely no food or grease) is still beneficial before putting it in the recycling bin.
What Can Be Made of Recycled Paper?
Paper can be recycled and made into a variety of paper products, including:
- Printer paper
- Notebooks
- Facial tissues and toilet tissue
- Paper towels, dishware, and napkins
- Cards and envelopes
- Cardboard
- Newspapers and magazines
- Nearly everything made of paper can also be made of recycled paper.
What are Easy Alternatives to Paper, Catalogs, Magazines, and Newspapers?
Opt for emailed billings and switch your subscriptions to online. However, be aware that using the internet and technological products also requires material and energy resources.
The best thing to do is just to take stock of all the media you consume regularly. Do you read it and find value in it? If yes, great! But if you just collect and accumulate certain papers, catalogs, magazines, and newspapers out of habit, then consider taking a break. If you really miss them, you can always re-subscribe.
Don’t forget about your local library. They have free books, periodicals, magazines, newspapers, and other media! You can also check out local used bookstores or book swaps.
What is Paper Made Of?
Paper is made from wood pulp from trees (virgin fiber) or other recycled paper products. Some magazines and catalogs get their glossy finish from an enamel coating.
Are Paper Products Bad for the Environment?
According to the EPA, recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 463 gallons of oil, and over 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space. That’s great news, but unfortunately, there is a downside to using paper products.
Paper decomposes, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Paper comes from trees. To slow global warming, we should plant more trees to absorb carbon dioxide, not cut them down. When trees are burned to make paper, vast amounts of carbon dioxide are also released. Plus, birds and other wildlife depend on trees as their habitats.
Producing paper also requires large amounts of water.
Additionally, paper mills cause pollution. They produce water filled with chlorine, metals, and cholates, which pollutes water and soil. Paper mills commonly require oil as an energy source: over 250 gallons are needed to produce one ton of paper made from virgin wood pulp.
Although more and more companies go “paperless” by the day, the paper industry is still huge. It’s the fifth largest consumer of energy, using about 4% of the total energy used in the world. So, the best course of action is to reduce your paper usage and repurpose the paper you have.
The Bottom Line
We use a lot of paper in the U.S. According to the EPA, 18.4 million tons of paper were accumulated in landfills in 2017. However, we have made good progress in recycling it: according to the American Forest & Paper Association, 65.7% of paper consumed in the U.S. was recycled in 2020.
Still, there is room for improvement. Since 87% of us have access to curbside or drop-off recycling for paper, 87% seems like a good number to aim for in terms of recycling nationwide.
If you have excess paper products around the house, make sure you don’t thoughtlessly chuck them into the trash. Think of a practical or crafty use for them, or recycle them. And most importantly, try to reduce your paper usage. The planet will thank you.
