What Are the Benefits of Paper Recycling?

More and more people are realizing the need to recycle used paper. Recycling has many positive direct and indirect effects on the environment.

Eliminating Waste

Materials in a landfill can take a long time to break down, and the EPA says that paper products make up 33 percent of the solid waste of cities and towns. By recycling paper, you can keep it from taking up space in a landfill.

Saving Trees

Recycling paper can dramatically reduce the number of trees that need to be harvested for paper products.

Saving Energy

By cutting down and processing fewer trees, and reducing the need for new landfills and equipment, recycling paper saves energy.

Reducing Pollution

Saving energy reduces the pollution that goes into the environment. Recycling paper also reduces other forms of pollution, such as the bleach often used to dye virgin pulp.

Statistics

According to Earth911, 87 percent of Americans have access to paper recycling programs, and in 2008, 57.4 percent of paper products were recycled--a new national record. The EPA says that Americans use about 85 million tons of paper products per year.

References

• Earth 911, "Paper"
• The Environmental Protection Agency, "Paper Recycling"