Most paper waste is recyclable. The margin may not be terrific on recycled paper products, except for clean white office paper, but it is usually sufficient to create secondary markets for most paper waste.
The problem arises, however, when that paper is contaminated with food or for some other reason is not recyclable (pizza boxes anyone?). Not only does this potentially contaminate other paper that may be recyclable, but it creates a waste management challenge to municipalities.
So besides using it for campfire kindle, what can we do with it?
A process called thermochemical conversion will take that waste and convert it into usable products, but usually requires superheating, to the tune of 500 degrees C. With that kind of carbon footprint, it’s hard to imagine that this reuse is a worthwhile sustainable effort.
A startup company called Solar Alchemy, which is competing int he 2009 Clean Tech Open in San Francisco, CA, has a proprietary process that will bring that heat requirement down to about 300 degrees. But really, is that much of an improvement. You bet. And not just for the reason you might expect.
Full article here.
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