How Are Paper Plates Recycled? What Can They Do Afterwards?

Usually, paper plates consist of paper, so people usually consider recycling them. While recycling paper materials is not a bad idea, paper plates are a different matter altogether. Can you recycle your paper plates? The answer is: not necessarily.
The general rule is that in order to be able to recycle your paper plate, it must be uncontaminated. That is, no food residue on it. However, once you have used them for food, you cannot recycle them. The reason is simple. The recycling process cannot separate grease, waste and oil residues from the paper. Bio soup cup company JIACHENG shows the recycling process of paper plates and cups.

The recycling process of paper plates

So, are you trying to figure out what's involved in this recycling process? That's where we come in. Here's a summary of the recycling process for neat paper trays.
Collection: You collect the clean paper trays and they are trucked along to the recycling plant.
Sorting: At this stage, the trays are sorted. This involves removing contaminated trays, leaving clean trays behind.
Pulping: The trays are turned into pulp by adding water, grinding, and other steps. Typically, this process involves the use of various chemicals and water.
Screening: All unwanted objects are removed from the pulp. This is achieved by pushing the pulp through a screen.
Deinking: The various inks and binders that make up the paperboard are removed.
Bleaching: In this stage, the paper receives various chemicals to ensure that it appears white. Often, hydrogen peroxide solves the problem.
Drying: The pulp, which has been made clean, is rolled, air-dried and dried in preparation for cutting the separation.

Are paper plates bad for the environment

The truth is that if you have to choose between paper and plastic trays, then paper trays become good. This is because plastic causes more environmental damage.

Since paper comes from trees, the logic can explain itself. More paper plates means more trees cut down. The more trees we kill for paper cups means the more parts of the ecosystem we destroy.

Animals lose their habitat and small plants die for lack of direct sunlight. Our oxygen supply continues to decline rapidly. Worse yet, we become more vulnerable to erosion and strong winds.

How long does it take to decompose

Paper discs usually take a little time to decompose. This is why they are so beneficial in composting. As long as you leave them in the right weather, you can easily do it in a few months. Decomposition takes about 180 days. However, in some cases, it can take about 45 to 60 days, depending on certain factors.
If you are looking for the time it takes to fully decompose. According to the City of New York, paper trays typically take 5 years to decompose.

In summary

While you can recycle paper plates, this only applies if you have not used them. However, you can always try composting. This way, you can use them effectively for your vegetables and garden. You will love it because they decompose very quickly and bring a lot of benefits to your plants. Now contact us here to get the quotation of paper plates and cups and take out boxes. Anyway, we enjoy the convenience of paper boxes and cups, even if they have drawbacks. Packaging products that are completely environmentally friendly may be invented in the future.