How to Learn About Recycled Paper Products for Kids

You're never too young to learn about paper recycling.

We can save trees and prevent unnecessary waste when we recycle paper. Recycled paper is used to make products that help us do everyday tasks. If you want to learn more about recycled paper products, there is a lot of information available. Learning about paper recycling is not only interesting, it can help you develop new ideas that may improve the ways we recycle paper. Be ambitious, and start learning today.

Instructions

1. Learn about the types of paper that are accepted for recycling. Most paper is accepted as long as it's clean and free of food, trash, metal and other items. Newspaper, scrap school paper and almost any other type of paper is accepted for recycling. This paper is used to create other paper products for the general public. Your teacher can tell you what types of paper are fine to recycle and which ones aren't.

2. Recycled paper is re-pulped, screened and cleaned. The paper is torn into tiny pieces, then soaked with water and chemicals. It turns into a pulp mixture that is then forced through a screen. The screen removes larger particles that would cause the new paper product to be defective.

3. Discover all the things that can be made from recycled paper. White paper, such as school notebook and printer paper, can be recycled to make more white paper, or it can go toward mixed paper materials. Mixed paper is used for things like cereal boxes and egg cartons. Study these objects closer to see the different fibers.

4. Read books at the library to find out more about how recycled paper products help the environment. Try "Recycle! A Handbook for Kids" by Gail Gibbons, or "Recycling Paper (Just Rubbish)" by Judith Condon. These books explain the process of paper recycling and the products created from recycled paper.

5. Ask questions at school, or suggest a field trip to your teacher. Visiting a paper mill or recycling center is a very educational experience. The more information you find, the better appreciation you'll develop for paper recycling.

References

• Tappi: Sorting
• Tappi: Re-pulping and Screening
• Energy Quest: Saving Energy

Resources

• Paper University: All About Paper