How to Recycle Paper Fiber
It is easy to recycle paper fiber through a community recycling program, but it is also fun and helpful to recycle your paper fiber yourself by making paper, mulch or compost. The many excellent uses of recycled paper, and the ease with which it is recycled and reused make it an excellent material for recycling by families or children. Recycling paper fiber makes an excellent science project, hobby or small business, and can be easily learned and mastered with minimal equipment to purchase. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Compost bin
- Scissors
- Paper shredder
- Blender
- Iron
- 2 papermaking frames
- Large tub
- Liquid starch
- Spoon
- Paper
- Felt
Instructions
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Shred your paper into long, thin strips using a paper shredder or scissors. Place the paper in a large bag or other container with some water, and allow it to soak for a few hours. The resulting paper mixture can be placed directly onto flower beds or gardens, and can be covered with a thin layer of dirt if necessary to prevent the paper fibers from blowing away. This is an excellent method to prevent and kill weeds, as the paper fibers will block the weeds from receiving the necessary sunlight to grow.
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Blend your paper in a blender or food processor with a little bit of water to make it into a smooth pulp which is perfect for composting. If you wish, you can simply tear up your paper or shred it in a shredder and add a little water, but making it into pulp will transform it into quality compost more quickly. Place the pulp mixture into a dark, lidded container with equal parts of paper and dirt, and feel free to add your food trash as well. Stir the mixture every few days and soon you will have quality compost.
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Soak strips of paper in water overnight with liquid starch if you wish to recycle them into new paper. Pull the paper apart the next day and dip papermaking frames into them, catching as much pulp as possible. Smooth out the layer of pulp with a rocking motion, then remove the top frame and place the other frame paper side down onto a piece of wet felt. Slowly remove the frame and let the wet felt dry under a stack of heavy books, then remove the paper from the felt and iron it if necessary or press between heavy books again.
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Tips & Warnings
Trash cans make excellent composting containers, but you can also build your own out of wood or re-purpose an old barrel or other container.
Shredded paper mulch is a great way to prevent or kill weeds in your garden.
Make sure that there are holes in the bottom and sides of the compost container for water and air to escape, or your compost will become moldy very quickly and will not be a healthy additive to your garden.
Do not add meat or dairy leftovers to your compost, as this will attract animals and mold to your container, often causing them to knock it over and make a large mess.
References
- Photo Credit recycling 3d image by Tomislav from Fotolia.com
