The diagram illustrates the process for manufacturing recycled paper.
Overall, this is a mechanical process comprising four main stages: pulp creation, filtration, cleansing, and paper production.
The first stage starts with the collection of used paper, which is placed onto a conveyor belt. The paper is then transferred into a pulping machine, where it is mixed with water and chemicals to break it down into a slurry.
During the second stage, the pulpy mixture is sieved, which results in a more homogeneous and cleaner pulp. The third stage is the cleaning phase, where the pulp is thoroughly washed with water and soap. Additionally, the air is fed into the pulp so that smaller impurities, such as ink particles, can be removed. The pulp thereafter undergoes another round of chemical and water treatment.
Once the cleaning step has been completed, the pulp is laid out on a conveyor belt and passed through heated rollers, which press and dry the pulp into paper. The paper is subsequently rolled up, resulting in rolls of recycled paper ready for distribution and use.