| We all like to send and receive Christmas cards | | | | paper separates back into fibres when soaked in |
| and for most it is an important part of the | | | | water. |
| festive season as they are the way that we like | | | | The manufacture of paper products is often |
| to send Christmas greetings to people that | | | | thought of as being one of the biggest water |
| perhaps we do not see as often as we would | | | | polluters in the world. |
| wish. | | | | Recycled paper reduces water pollution by 35%, |
| There is a downside however to the sending of | | | | reduces air pollution by 74%, and eliminates many |
| Christmas cards and that is the huge amount of | | | | toxic pollutants. Producing recycled paper involves |
| paper and card that is needed for their | | | | using between 28-70% less energy consumption |
| manufacture each year. The cards we keep on | | | | and it uses less water than that needed for first |
| display for only two weeks or so and the | | | | use new paper products. |
| envelopes get thrown away immediately and this | | | | At recycling plants your Christmas cards are |
| is unfortunately a poor use of resources. | | | | sorted into high and low grades. High grades of |
| Christmas cards are often printed on good quality | | | | card, those without glitters and coloured foils can |
| card and there are ways that the cards can be | | | | be recycled and can be used for toilet tissue, |
| recycled. You could offer the cards to local | | | | kitchen roll, etc. Lower grades of card can be |
| community groups, schools, nurseries and youth | | | | used for toilet roll inners, packaging materials and |
| clubs. Reusing and recycling cards can make great | | | | corrugated card |
| activities for people of all ages. You could keep | | | | Once the cards have been sorted and baled they |
| suitable envelopes for reuse. Those that have not | | | | will be taken to the mill where they will be |
| been sealed for instance can be reused by placing | | | | reduced to individual fibres during the pulping |
| a white sticky label over the address and used | | | | process. Ink particles, coatings etc are separated |
| again. | | | | out. The pulp is then sent through a number of |
| The most efficient methods of recycling however | | | | chemical, heat and mechanical processes to |
| are carried out at recycling plants. | | | | further improve quality. Finally the raw pulp is |
| The recycling of Christmas cards produces a new | | | | rolled and layered to make huge paper reels - |
| paper or paperboard product and is an ideal way | | | | ready to go off and be reused. |
| to ensure that they do not just end up rotting in | | | | Why not take your cards to distribution centres |
| landfill sites taking up valuable space. Also any | | | | for collection sometime during January as all the |
| form of paper recycling is of course an ideal way | | | | cards that are recycled will help save trees and |
| to save our trees. Paper products are easy to | | | | thereby help save our environment, 17 trees are |
| recycle as they are made from wood and the | | | | saved for every tonne of paper recycled. |