Pena: Can you recycle shredded paper?

I'VE been conducting lectures on solid waste management for many years. Occasionally, I also discuss paper recycling in particular, especially the business side of it. One of the common questions that always crop up is whether shredded paper is recyclable and if it has monetary value.

Generally, shredded paper is still paper, so it can be recycled except in few instances. Ultra-thin shredded paper and those cut to very small squares have no commercial value. Very little paper fibers, if any, can be recovered from these shredded materials. Handling is also difficult.

There are disadvantages to shredding paper. First, the process of shredding paper breaks down the strength of its natural fibers, which affects its value and recyclability. The bigger the shred, the better. Second, once paper products have been shredded they can’t be sorted into different paper grades. Lastly, if paper is shredded, it is bulky. It increases transportation and storage cost.

The value of the different types of scrap paper is different. Usually white paper is the most expensive, followed by old newspapers and brown boxes. The cheapest is mixed paper like chipboard (gray colored paper), colored paper, folders, brown envelopes, etc. The best thing to do is sort the paper before shredding it.

Paper is shredded because they contain sensitive information. That’s understandable. Burning is out of the question because it is against the law. It is not allowed under Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. However, there is an alternative to shredding. It is easier, faster, convenient and more secure.

I’m talking about an arranged delivery to a paper mill. The confidential documents will be fed directly into a pulper, a huge machine similar to a blender, which will instantly turn the paper into pulp. Paper mills inside the Teco Industrial Park in Bundagul, Mabalacat City are open to this kind of arrangement.

I have made this type of arrangement for some companies, mostly banks. But the most notable is the one with the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) for the disposal of their board exam questionnaires. I was told that the PRC had difficulty disposing of the test questionnaires for their licensure exam for teachers. They used to burn them but it is no longer allowed. A former co-teacher from Holy Angel University who was with DepEd called me.

The paper was escorted by PRC Personnel, policemen and DepEd officials. They were allowed to go into the wastepaper feeding area to witness the repulping of the paper. It was a win-win situation for all. The mill had clean raw materials, PRC was able to dispose of the material conveniently and safely and they went home with cash from the sale of the paper.

For those who want this confidential document disposal arrangement for paper mills inside Teco Industrial Park in Mabalacat City Pampanga, e-mail me at rox_pena@yahoo.com.

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