What happens to it?

The Paper Loop

Like glass, paper is an example of a closed recycling and product loop. Waste paper can be recycled up to five times and, with a share of more than 60 per cent, is the most frequently used raw material for the production of paper in Germany.

From the collection container, the colourful mixture of waste paper is transported to the paper sorting plant where it is sorted and pressed into bales. An air stream separates lighter papers from heavy kinds and non-paper particles.

This is followed by transportation to the paper-mill where the pulpers get to work: These oversized mixers shred and agitate the waste paper and cardboard in a bath of water, while any impurities are removed simultaneously.

Finally the pulp is transferred to the paper machine where it is used as the starting material for new products such as cartons, envelopes or paper reels.

Particularly high-quality papers from newspapers and magazines are subjected to a deinking process to remove printing inks before being used to produce new newsprint and graphic papers.