The fundamental raw material in the manufacturing of paper is cellulose fibre from wood, a natural and renewable resource.  Pulp fibres are taken full advantage of through the recovery and recycling of used paper, which is ultimately converted into new paper.    

 

When pulp fibre is used for the first time in the manufacturing of paper, virgin fibre is predominant; when, after recycling, it is used consecutive times, recovered or recycled fibre predominates. 

 

The exploitation cycle of pulp fibre remains vital and functioning thanks to the continuous contribution of virgin fibre. This is necessary because pulp fibre gradually deteriorates each time it is used (it estimated that it can be re-used around six times) and because 19% of the paper that we use cannot be recovered for recycling due to the nature of its use: books, documents, hygienic and sanitary papers, etc…

 

Paper recovered as raw material is used in the manufacturing of such paper types as newspaper, packaging paper, corrugated cardboard, coated paper, sacks, etc.  In Spain, the usage rate of recovered paper, which measures the consumption of recovered paper with respect to paper production, is over 84%, the highest in Europe.  

 

Paper is made with pulp fibre from plantations of rapid-growth species cultivated for this purpose.  If not for this, these plantations would not exist.  It is therefore not true that recycling paper saves trees.     

In order for recycled paper, and for that matter virgin-fibre paper, to be ecological, a non-contaminating production process is needed: on occasion the treatment of inks consisting of varnishes, oils, solvents, pigments, aniline and other components disposed of in large amounts can have a negative impact on the environment.     

 

Recycling paper does permit reducing the volume of disposal sites and the emissions they produce: the 4.6 million tons of used paper recovered annually in Spain for recycling represents a saving in the volume of disposal sites equivalent to 46 large soccer stadiums (such as Bernabéu or Camp Nous) filled to the top, and a saving in disposal site emissions of 4.1 million tons of CO2 (more than 1% of the total emissions of the country).