Staples in To-Be-Recycled Computer Paper

Ecological issues around computing. This is an experimental forum.

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Trip
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Staples in To-Be-Recycled Computer Paper

Post by Trip » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:21 am

What happens to them?

qviri
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Post by qviri » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:49 am

Two words: staple heaven.

NeilBlanchard
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Post by NeilBlanchard » Mon Oct 30, 2006 9:24 am

Hello,

I'm pretty sure that they are magnetically separated after the whole bit is shredded, and before the paper is turned back into pulp.

Trip
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Post by Trip » Mon Oct 30, 2006 12:13 pm

ohh good. I was told I could drop them in, but I had my doubts.

Brian
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Post by Brian » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:21 pm

I read a brief article on paper recycling plants in Scientific American. They won't let you read the article on their site, but you can find similar articles on Google. Recycling is a pretty complicated process.

My understanding is that the paper is pulped, and large contaminants are seperated mechanically. According to the SciAm article, adhesives are a bigger problem than staples. Still, not insurmountable.

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Post by aristide1 » Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:38 am

Composites are a big problem. Shiny magazine paper is full of clay. Paper milk and OJ containers that are "lined".

Those convenient juice and milk boxes? Totally useless.

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Post by padmewan » Mon Mar 26, 2007 7:41 pm

aristide1 wrote:Composites are a big problem. Shiny magazine paper is full of clay. Paper milk and OJ containers that are "lined".

Those convenient juice and milk boxes? Totally useless.
Really? No kidding. I guess I'll just have to chuck them instead of recycling them from now on.

(btw, out of curiosity: Is buying frozen OJ concentrate "greener" than fresh?)

aristide1
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Post by aristide1 » Mon Mar 26, 2007 8:00 pm

Yout town should tell you what they will accept and what they won't.

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