The paper revolution
Paper recycling extends the life of renewable wood fiber, keeps waste out of landfills and avoids greenhouse gas emissions that result when paper products are landfilled. The U.S. paper industry continues to drive toward a recycling rate that exceeds 70%. [2]
From a practical perspective, the theoretical maximum recycling rate is somewhere around 78% because some paper products cannot be recycled. These include materials that are kept for long periods of time (books), archived (records), or destroyed or contaminated when used (e.g., tissue and hygiene products). [3]
Paper can be recycled as many as 5 to 7 times after its initial use. After that, fibers get shorter and too weak to bond into new paper, so virgin fiber from trees must be added to continue the cycle. In the U.S. and Canada, this fiber comes from renewable, sustainably managed forests. [4]
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