Who to Contact:

James W Rankin, Supervisor, Physical Plant Services
jwr@neoucom.edu
(330) 325-6195

Chrissy Giebel, Recycling Assistant
cgiebel@neoucom.edu
(330) 325-6195

Questions Frequently Asked About Recycling

  1. How much paper do Americans recycle each year?

    A full 45% of all the paper Americans used in 1999 was recovered for recycling. That's over 47 million tons of newspapers, boxes, office paper, magazines, cereal and cracker boxes, paper bags, and many other products you use every day.

  2. How is paper recycled?

    Paper recovered from homes, schools, offices, and other businesses is usually sent first to a materials recovery facility (MRF). There paper is sorted, baled, and then transported to paper recycling mills.

    At the mill, depending on the "recipe" for the product being made, the recovered paper may be sorted again to get the right mix -- keep out any contaminants, such as plastic or glass.

    Recovered paper is then mixed with water to form a "slurry." The fibers are washed, unwanted materials are screened out, and the slurry is spread over a wire screen to drain excess moisture and make a sheet. After the sheet is formed, it is dried and wound onto a large roll, which is finally cut into smaller sheets for converting into paper and packaging.

  3. What paper products can be recycled?

    Virtually all clean paper is recyclable. It is important, however, to keep paper free from contaminants such as food, adhesives, wax, and glass.

  4. Does paper recycling really save trees?

    Not really, but recycling does allow papermakers to maximize use of this valuable, renewable natural resource and not waste it. To protect and conserve wood fiber, companies participate in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. This program not only ensures the renewal of forests, but also the protection of wildlife habitat, soil, air, and water quality. That way, future generations can enjoy the same abundant forests that we do today.

  5. How does recycling paper help the environment?

    First, every ton of paper recovered for recycling is a ton that doesn't go to the landfill. Second, recycling paper conserves natural resources and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. While US papermakers practice sustainable forestry to ensure that working forests used for fiber are promptly replanted, they also want to reuse as much fiber as possible. In fact, recovered paper accounts for three quarters of the industry's incremental increase in fiber consumption.