What Happens to the Paper / Cardboard I Recycle?

The paper and cardboard you recycle at home is sorted at the Materials Recycling Facility before it is sent to reprocessors. Paper and cardboard is sorted into different grades (depending on quality) before it is sent on to be recycled.

The Materials Recycling Facility sorts paper into three grades - brown cardboard, mixed paper/cardboard, and newspaper/magazines.  The brown cardboard is baled before it is sent off for reprocessing.  The mixed paper/card and newspaper/magazines are sent to reprocessors in their loose form.

The next step in the recycling process is to add water to create a pulp.  The pulp is screened to remove any contaminants, such as paper clips and staples, and washed to remove glues (for example the glue from envelopes).  Ink is also removed from the paper and cardboard during the washing process.

Once the pulp is clean, it is ready to be turned into a new product.  The newspaper/magazines sent for recycling are turned back into recycled newsprint.  In fact it takes just seven days for a newspaper to be recycled and be turned back into new newsprint, ready to be printed on again.  The lower grade mixed paper and cardboard are recycled into a number of cardboard based packaging products.

Paper and cardboard sent for recycling by re3 is kept within the UK wherever possible.  And don't forget that recycling saves energy too - it takes 70% less energy to make paper from recycled material than it does to make paper from raw materials.