Paper: Lyon County's most recycled product

The number one item that we recycle in Lyon County is paper. Approximately, 75% of what we recycle by weight is paper. This includes cardboard, magazines, envelopes, newspaper, and similar items such as paperboard (think about those cereal boxes).
In the past, it was difficult to recycle shiny newspaper ads or envelopes with the little windows in them but that is in the past and is no longer a problem. Technology has made it possible to recycle these items! Most paper items, when they are recycled, go through a process where they are first made into a pulp that is mostly water.
The process then makes sure that it takes out things like staples or anything sticky like labels. The biggest challenge that paper companies use to have with recycled paper is the ink that we used in many of the items that we used to make magazines and so forth. The shiny ink that is used in some of these situations is made from a clay base. The coating was used to get ink to stick to the paper.
The de-inking procedure actually uses a special formula that makes bubbles which helps to float away the ink from the paper that it was coating. After the process, the paper is passed into the paper machine, which presses the paper into rolls of paper once again. The paper once it has gone through this process is a brown or gray color. Depending on what it will be used for, it may remain this color or it could be bleached white. If you have ever really looked at the inside of a cereal box, it is brown. This is because most of the paperboard boxes (macaroni boxes, cereal boxes, etc.) come from reused (recycled) paper.
There are other items are made from recycled paper. They are the cardboard tubes inside paper towels or toilet tissue tubes; the roofing paper that is placed down before shingles are laid down on a roof; facial tissue or toilet tissue; paper towels; or paper bags.
Paper towels are one item that has been bleached white during the process. If you see brown paper towels, it is because the manufacturer has decided to remove bleach in their process. The paper towels are just the same as white paper towels.
Another item that we recycle quite a bit and one that has been recycled for the longest period is aluminum pop or beer cans. Aluminum has been recycled since the 1960’s. The great part about recycling aluminum pop cans is that within 60 days that same aluminum pop can will be back on the grocery shelf as another aluminum can. This compares to those who are still choosing to throw them away. The aluminum pop can will take hundreds of years to fall apart in the landfill.
Recycled aluminum is also used for other items such as baseball bats, car parts and it is even used to make space rockets lighter so that they don’t need as much fuel for lift off. Recycling aluminum is not only an advantage for the environment but also for the economy. It takes less energy to recycle a pop can versus excavating and collecting new materials for a new aluminum can.
Recycling allows us to individually make decisions on where and what happens with some of our trash. What makes more sense? From paper to pop cans; to larger items such as mattresses or box springs, there are ways to reduce the trash we throw away. By reducing your trash and recycling which gives items a second life, each and every one of us can collectively help our environment.
For more information on reducing, reusing or recycling, please call the Environmental office at (507) 532-1307.