The answer is 8. A second life can be given to 8 cereal boxes, while one adventure book can be added as an example of reuse. This underscores the importance of recycling and reusing containers of paper and packaging materials, because this practice makes resource cycles possible.
In practice, the focus is on discovering effective methods to improve the paper recycling process and to develop materials that resist contamination from cereal products.
Recycled paper can be a high-quality material. Depending on fiber length, fibers can be recaptured multiple times to produce new writing and packaging papers, and sometimes even used to fill products with recycled content.
What does the circular economy of paper consist of?
Paper is an organic material mainly derived from cellulose fibers found at the edges of trees, which are processed to make pulp. This pulp can come from fresh wood fibers or be produced using recycled paper.
AIRE, the intelligent robot from ECOEMBES, is always ready to answer questions about recycling.
The circular paper economy transforms traditional paper machinery into products that incorporate recycled content into new offerings. The paper industry relies on natural, renewable resources: locally grown trees provide raw material that is continuously renewed.
All paper and letters used in Spain originate from specific tree forests to obtain this material.
To support recycling, town halls work with municipalities and ECOEMBES to place blue containers on public roads for paper and letters.
Blue containers have been part of recycling efforts for over two decades in Spain, helping to process paper and cardboard. There is typically one container for every roughly 215 people in the area.
Encouragingly, about 80% of residents and citizens in Spain actively recycle, separating their scraps daily. This behavior strengthens the circular economy.
The blue container is easy to distinguish and use, as it is designed specifically for paper letters.
Simple tips include compressing paper waste to save space, increasing container capacity, and easing transport to the blue container while preventing overflow on streets.
Understanding what goes into the Blau container is straightforward. Residents are advised to keep a steady flow of paper items going into the blue bin as part of daily habits.
What should go into the Blau bin?
All sorts of packaging, envelopes, and everyday paper items are accepted. Food cartons, footwear boxes, frozen product packages, cereal and biscuit boxes, pizza boxes, and other daily paper packaging should be placed in the blue box. It is also suitable for newspapers and letters and for any printed mail that accompanies online purchases. This helps ensure proper sorting and recycling of the packaging as part of everyday use.
Newspapers and cardboard packages can be put into the blue box in any suitable format.
The most common mistakes to avoid
Misplacements typically happen with non-paper items or contaminated packaging. The blue container is meant for clean, dry paper products and should not receive bricks or other non-paper materials. When paper is contaminated with food or liquids, it complicates the recycling process and can degrade the quality of the final product.
Bricks should never be placed in the grocery container; they require separate handling. If a brick ends up there, it disrupts the sorting line and wastes resources.
There are also other types of newspapers or kitchen towels that are not suitable for this stream. That is why it is important to keep organic residues out of the blue container to avoid contamination of the recycling stream.
Improper residues accumulate in the containers and hinder recycling tasks, so posters urge residents to keep containers clean and clear of non-paper waste.
Curious about the paper and card recycling process
Contents placed in the blue container are collected and transported to recycling facilities. There, foreign materials such as paints, plastics, and metals are removed, and materials are sorted by paper type and properties before being baled for transport.
From there, the paper moves to the paper mill where it is transformed into new rolls of paper. These rolls can become newspapers, boxes, cereal cartons, and other paper products.
Specific steps include: first, separating fibers and dissolving them; removing impurities; centrifuging to separate materials by density; removing ink with air and water; and finally bleaching with safe chemicals to restore whiteness and printability. These steps ensure the recycled paper becomes suitable for high-quality reuse.
Facilities in the Valencia region demonstrate notable recycling activity and demonstrate the broader network of paper and letter recycling operations in the Community.
Warnings are important. Separate disposal keeps Blau containers efficient. Packaging materials and other items should be treated with equal care to ensure the recycling stream remains robust. When away from home, remember to avoid placing non-paper items in paper containers; carry on with careful disposal wherever you go, whether at home, on a hike, or at the beach. The goal is consistent, responsible recycling.
Totes de pizza, with or without caps, should go into the Blau container, ensuring proper sorting and recycling alignment.
Compounds can make a responsible consumer of paper: Redueix-Reutilitza-Recicla
- Consider going paperless whenever possible and reduce printing of documents unless necessary.
- Prefer digital formats to minimize paper use.
- Reuse used booklets by leaving pages intact or using spare sheets for notes.
- Use scrap paper for lists or quick notes that can be erased later.
- Always choose recycled paper whenever possible.
For more information on proper recycling practices, refer to the dedicated guidance from ECOEMBES. [citation: ECOEMBES guidance resource]
Information aligns with standards approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate Emergency, and Ecological Transition. [citation: Official ministry guidance]