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The History of Recycled Paper
History of Recycled Paper in China
As early as 800 years ago, during the Song Dynasty in China, waste paper was already being used to produce recycled paper. In the Ming Dynasty, the scientist Song Yingxing provided a clearer description in his book *Tiangong Kaiwu*: "Waste paper, after removing ink stains and undergoing reprocessing, can still be transformed into usable paper with minimal resource consumption." The term "spirit paper" mentioned here refers to recycled paper. This demonstrates that the history of using recycled paper in China dates back to an early period. In contrast, it was not until the year 1800 that the British innovator Koops began experimenting with and utilizing waste paper for recycled paper production. At that time, due to technical limitations, restrictions were placed on the quality of waste paper, such as cleanliness and ink content, which affected the overall quality of the recycled product. By 1874, Germany introduced the shredder and subsequently developed technologies like the dredging machine and cleaning machine. In 1905, German inventors Henry and Pitts pioneered deinking technology, significantly expanding the scope of waste paper recycling. In the 1970s, driven by global ecological concerns and natural resource depletion, the paper industry experienced a surge in waste paper recycling initiatives, promoting the development of circular economies.
Recycled paper refers to paper produced using waste paper (also known as secondary fibers) as its primary raw material. According to current regulations in China, environmentally labeled recycled paper products must consist of 100% waste pulp to qualify as eco-friendly.
In 1990, Japan mandated that ordinary journal paper, copy paper, and report paper should contain at least 70% waste pulp. Similarly, the U.S. government issued an executive order requiring all office and household paper purchased by the White House from January 1, 1999, to include a minimum of 30% waste paper. These differing standards reflect the absence of a unified international regulation regarding the proportion of waste pulp in recycled paper.
Given the diverse sources of waste paper, the recycling process must adhere to specified indicators, including cleaning and deinking procedures, rather than relying on indiscriminately collected waste paper. Considering the technological advancements in recycled paper production, it is recommended that recycled paper in China contain more than 50% waste pulp (the higher, the better). Currently, some Chinese paper mills produce paper with varying proportions of waste pulp (often far below 50%) and label it as eco-friendly, which is inaccurate. Additionally, the percentage of waste pulp should be clearly indicated on packaging labels.
The growing demand for recycled paper has accelerated waste paper recycling efforts. Environmental authorities and media outlets have actively promoted public awareness campaigns. For instance, in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency distributed free plastic bins for recycled paper to every household. Families conscientiously place unused newspapers, waste paper, and cardboard into these bins for weekly collection. It is estimated that recycling one ton of office waste paper can produce 0.85 tons of recycled paper and save four cubic meters of wood. Studies suggest that if half of the world's office paper were recycled, 75% of new paper demand could be met, equivalent to saving eight million hectares of forest from deforestation.
Recycled paper cannot be automatically classified as eco-friendly; certification is required for recognition. Two prominent organizations provide such certifications:
1. **FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)**: Established in 1993 as a non-profit, independent international organization, FSC certification is recognized as one of the most stringent forest certification systems globally.
2. **PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)**: Formerly known as Pan-European Forest Certification, PEFC was initiated by 11 European governments in 1999 and renamed in 2003. Its mission remains focused on forest verification and accreditation.
Three key principles guide the certification of eco-friendly paper:
1. Protecting the natural ecological environment: Production must avoid cutting down virgin forests and instead rely on artificial forests while promoting large-scale reforestation or adopting sustainable practices such as "cut one, plant two" or "cut three, plant five."
2. Ensuring compliance with environmental principles: The entire pulp and paper-making process must adhere to environmental protection standards, ensuring wastewater treatment meets national discharge requirements and providing monitoring reports from environmental protection departments. Each stage must align with cleaner production practices.
3. Enhancing the utilization of natural resources and energy: Production processes must demonstrate reasonable and advanced technical and economic indicators, promoting industry sustainability through continuous improvements in low-carbon and eco-friendly practices.
In summary, the production and use of recycled paper must prioritize environmental consciousness.
