PAPER WASTE FALSE FRIENDS

 

Today, the urban separate collection of paper and cardboard stands at about 2 million 900 thousand tons. However, some products deceive citizens: the so-called false friends of paper.

PAPER WAST: MIND THE FALSE FRIENDS

The false friends of paper that most confuse citizens when it is time to sort waste are receipts and takeaway pizza boxes. 

The receipt does not go in the separate collection of paper and cardboard because the material of which it is made bothers the recycling processes. The most common receipts, in fact, are made with a thermal paper whose components react to heat, generating problems in the recycling phases. 

Pizza boxes, on the other hand, could be thrown in the paper but only if they are neither dirty nor greasy. To be sorted into the paper they must be perfectly clean, and this happens in rare cases. So, even if they are just a little dirty, pizza boxes should not be thrown in the paper!

There are other materials, such as adhesive tapes, staples, and other non-cellulosic materials (e.g. the cellophane bag that wraps magazines) that should not be separated with paper at all. Even handkerchiefs should not be sorted with paper: they are very difficult to recycle.

Another false friend of paper is greaseproof paper. Greaseproof paper used for wrapping cold cuts, cheese, and buns is not recyclable. Nor is paper that has been soiled by poisonous substances, such as paper soiled by paints and solvents, recyclable. This paper, in fact, contaminates recycled paper.

TIPS: 

In addition to false friends, there are also procedures to be followed: boxes must be flattened and compressed to reduce large packages into small pieces. Also, paper and cardboard should not be abandoned outside the containers. Two other rules to keep in mind are: do not throw the paper together with the plastic bag used to transport it to the container. Finally, do not put packaging with food or soil residues in the separate collection because they generate bad odors, hygiene, and health problems and contaminate recyclable paper. 

Here are the false friends of paper! Now that you have learned them you can make a better recycling collection, being careful about what is recyclable and what is not.

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ITALY ON TOP

 In Italy, we are adopting different strategies and regulations to become a greener country.   There’s still so much to be done to become 100% sustainable. We are making significant progress, but we have to hurry and continue to move forward to solve this urgent environmental problem.  

Italy on top for recycling

However, our country has been recognized as the best among European countries for recycling. 

On March 17th, was celebrated world recycling day, an event born to promote recycling and raise awareness among citizens about our planet’s prevention. 

Recycling champions around Europe

On this day, GreenItaly report by Symbola foundation came out, reporting, in percentages, which among European countries are most committed to recycling; and surprisingly, Italy won first place!

As a European champion, we recycle 79.3% of waste, ahead of France (55.8%) and United Kingdom (50.5%), and our score is above the European average of 39.2%. 

If we speak about quantity, Italy ranks second after Germany, recycling 56.4 million tons of waste compared to 72.4 million tons of waste recycled in Germany (but still on the podium): 26 million of waste, the majority, are recycled plastic, glass, wood, and textiles; 14 million is mixed waste; 6 million is organic and green waste and 1.7 million are chemicals. Yet, another achievement to be proud of.

SDGs

Having achieved these results, Italy has already reached and overcome the goals imposed by the European Union set for 2030: recycling 65% of waste by 2025 and reach 70% by 2030. 

The effort of raising awareness, both to citizens and companies, is slowly beginning to bear its fruit. During the last five years, more than 400,000 Italian companies have focused and changed their production on green products, technologies, and packaging, about 1 in 3, and this helps to achieve the sustainable development goals set in the 2030 Agenda. 

What's next?

Although there’s still a long way to go, we are on the right track, and now all we need to do is get involved and engage ourselves, even more. 

 Choose to adopt packaging made out of papers such as cardboard boxes and other eco-packaging solutions could be one way to safeguard or planet and increase recycling rates; thus cardboard is circular by nature: from renewable resources, recyclable and biodegradable. 👉To know more click here

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