Paper industry working hard to grow the circular economy

• This increases its contribution to climate change and employment

The circular economy is predicated on a closed loop of taking, making and re-using, as opposed to the linear “take-make-waste” approach.

The problem with the linear model is clear, says Jane Molony, executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of SA. “When we treat raw materials such as wood, water and energy as infinite, we end up with waste. Waste costs money — which in itself is waste, especially when you consider the costs of landfilling, the loss of reusable materials and the livelihoods that could have been supported. There are also losses at the expense of the environment — greenhouse gas emissions when waste degrades.”

She explains that the circular economy is based on three core principles: engineering out waste, retaining materials in circulation and restoring the systems from which resources are extracted.

“Contrary to popular belief and opinion, the paper industry has for many years adopted the circular approach,” reveals Molony.

“Even the fibres in recycled paper came from a tree at some point in their lives. In SA’s case, these trees are sustainably farmed in plantations, with stringent management of their impact on water, soil, neighbouring indigenous landscapes and biodiversity.”

Sustainable forest management balances economic, social and environmental needs. While forestry practices optimise the land’s ability to mitigate climate change through carbon sequestration, they also act as buffers for protected indigenous areas.

Depending on the species — usually eucalyptus or pine — these trees take about seven to 10 years to reach maturity, she says, adding that the reason SA uses exotic species is both because they are fast-growing and based on the fact that we can’t use indigenous trees for wood or paper products.

“SA currently has 850million trees growing on more than 676,000 hectares reserved for pulp and papermaking,” she says. “Less than 10% of this total area is harvested during the year. The same area is replanted with new trees — saplings — often at a ratio of two trees for each one harvested. This is the first circle: plant, grow, harvest, replant.”

The circular economy in forestry, she explains, extends to leaving forest residues in fields as a mulch for the next generation of trees. After harvesting, bark, limbs, leaves and small parts of the harvested trees are left on the forest floor, offering sustenance and refuge for creatures that aid in the decomposition of organic matter, which in turn attracts birds — and so another circle is created.

In addition, through photosynthesis, trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into food for growth. They also take up water, from the ground or from rainfall. They keep the carbon locked up in their fibres, in return providing oxygen and returning some water to the atmosphere through transpiration.

Even pulp and paper mills operate in a closed loop process, by using natural resources efficiently — often more than once, says Molony.

“Process water is reused and recycled, lost fibre is recovered and reused, and spent chemicals are recovered for energy production. Even bark — a biomass — is used to power boilers, producing steam that generates electricity. The end result is that we are doing better at using more of the tree, ensuring little goes to waste.”

Once paper and pulp are made into what we know — office paper, magazines, books, pizza boxes, cereal boxes, cardboard boxes, newspapers, milk and juice cartons, paper cups — the circle starts to hit home. Office paper can be printed on both sides, and boxes can be reused as storage.

“Paper fibres can be recycled up to seven times,” says Molony, adding that how we dispose of paper products creates another circle. “With a four-year average recovery rate of 70%, paper is the second most recovered material in SA.”

The problem arises when consumers put discarded paper products in the rubbish bin which means they go to landfill — or if they are retrieved by a waste collector, they might get to a recycling mill.

Ultimately, what is required is for consumers to apply some basic practices to recycling paper, says Molony. “Ideally, we want paper products separate from wet waste — this keeps them clean for recycling.

“Even the simple act of placing recycling in a separate bag or box for a waste collector who sells these back to a recycling mill makes a considerable difference.”

REPROCESSED

Recovered paper can be reprocessed and made into corrugated boxes, tissue, cereal boxes and moulded protective packaging — and can once again be recycled.

“And so the paper cycle — or circle — continues with the carbon staying locked up for longer when paper is recycled.”

This is the point where the circles get interesting. Some wood-based products are already in circulation in everyday life. Dissolving wood pulp is used in the food, pharmaceutical and textile industries. Cellulose is used as a binder, emulsifier and filler. It’s in low-fat yoghurt, cheese and ice cream; it’s in the bathroom cabinet in lipsticks and vitamins.

“Our sector can extract xylitol from wood to make non-nutritive sweeteners, and it can also make bricks from paper sludge, the leftovers from the paper recycling process when fibres become too short for use. We can make plastic, membranes and films with cellulose, and biodegradable alternatives to fossil fuels from lignin. We have students developing biodegradable fruit fly attractant sheets from nanocellulose, and controlled release fertiliser coated with cellulose, starch and diatomite. We can make bio-based composites from paper sludge, and attractants for mosquitoes from cellulose-based materials.”

Increasing the circularity, she points out, not only increases the paper sector’s contribution to the economy and employment, but means the forest products sector can be recognised as part of the solution to climate change and green economic recovery.

Consumers also need to play their part by using pulp and paper products that are certified and responsibly produced.

“By recycling paper products, we can practise sound environmental stewardship and be part of the circle,” says Moloney.