Dear Recycle Lady,
In one of your former columns, you mentioned paper being made from a number of different sources. However, you left out a few. Lemongrass, bamboo, and coconut are three sources that I know of. The https://www.ehow.com/how_5887274_make-paper-out-coconut-fiber.html, has an interesting article entitled “How to Make Paper Out of Coconut Fiber.” How to make paper out of lemongrass is on the website, https://bluecatpaper.com/lemongrass-paper, and https://www.bamboogrove.com/bamboo-paper.html tells about making paper out of bamboo. Paper Maker
Dear Paper Maker,
Thanks so much for adding coconut fiber, lemongrass and bamboo to the list of materials used to make paper in place of wood from trees. The websites are excellent.
Dear Recycle Lady,
What is the difference between corrugated cardboard and paperboard? Are they both recycled with cardboard? Wants to Know
Dear Wants to Know,
Corrugated cardboard is made of three layers of paper; an outside liner and an inside liner with a ruffled shape running between the two. These three layers are glued together to make a very durable and strong box. Today, approximately 95% of products in North America are shipped in corrugated cardboard boxes. Paperboard is thinner than cardboard, and thicker and more rigid than paper. While it is lighter weight than cardboard, it is also strong and used in packaging. Cereal boxes are an example of paperboard. According to Wikipedia, cardboard was first made in France in 1751 to reinforce playing cards, whereas paperboard was first produced in England in the 1860s to save space when shipping packages. Both corrugated cardboard and paperboard packaging are sustainable, renewable, and recyclable in the cardboard bin. One ton of recycled cardboard used to make new cardboard saves 3 tons of trees and 9 cubic yards of landfill space.
Dear Recycle Lady,
Can milk cartons be recycled? Milk Drinker
Dear Milk Drinker,
Milk cartons are made of multiple layers of material, including paperboard, which sounds like they should be recyclable. However, the paperboard is covered with a thin layer of food-safe polyethylene plastic (#1 PET), which is not recyclable locally. This thin layer of plastic keeps milk contained in the carton, helps to keep the milk fresh longer, and separates the milk from the cardboard that could affect the taste of the milk. Milk can be purchased locally in plastic jugs that are recyclable at the Recycling Center. It is also available in returnable/reusable glass jugs, which are the most sustainable method of packaging milk.
Interesting Information: The blue whale, the largest animal ever to live on Earth, has a heart that weighs around 400 pounds—roughly the size of a small car! Its heartbeat can be heard from two miles away, and its arteries are so large that a human could crawl through them. These ocean giants play a vital role in maintaining marine ecosystems, but they’re vulnerable to pollution and habitat loss. We all need to protect the oceans and the amazing creatures that call them home. (fto.com)
Have questions about recycling, or interesting information about recycling? Send questions or requests to Recyclelady7@gmail.com. Dear Recycle Lady is sponsored jointly by the Greenbrier Recycling Center and Greenworks Recycling.
