The diagram illustrates the stages involved in producing recycled paper from used paper.
Overall, it is a cyclical process consisting of several stages, beginning with the collection of waste paper and ending with the production of new paper. The procedure involves both mechanical and chemical treatments, with cleaning and de-inking playing a crucial role.
In the first stage, used paper is collected from various sources and transported to a recycling facility. There, it is sorted and shredded into small pieces before being mixed with water and chemicals to create a pulp. This pulp is then passed through a filtering process to remove contaminants such as plastic and staples.
Next, the pulp undergoes de-inking, where air and chemicals are added so that ink particles rise to the surface and are removed. After that, the mixture is washed and bleached to improve its whiteness and quality. Compared with earlier stages, this part focuses more on chemical treatment rather than physical processing.
In the final stage, the cleaned pulp is pressed and dried using rollers and heat, forming sheets of recycled paper which are then ready for use again.