You're probably thinking to yourself, "But wrapping paper is made out of paper, so of course you can recycle it!" Nope, that's not the case. Unless you're buying wrapping paper that's made of 100% paper pulp, your paper is composed mainly of non-recycleable plastic. And, since only about 12% of plastics are able to be recycled, that pretty paper is going to end up in an ugly landfill.
But, there's good news: Researchers at the University of Warwick, England, have found a new method of recycling plastics that can break down complex plastic polymers, including those in household plastics and holiday wrapping paper.
Inhabitat writes:
"The new recycling process involves pyrolysis — using heat in the absence of oxygen to decompose materials in a 'fluidised bed' reactor, which breaks down the plastic polymers into their original monomers. Previously the most complex plastic polymers were unbreakable — and without being broken down they can’t be recycled into new materials. The new process is exciting not just for the wrapping paper world but also for other commonly-used plastics that previously weren’t accepted at recycling plants."
Now that's something to rejoice about this holiday season. For our New Year's resolutions, let's work on weaning ourselves off plastics altogether, eh?
Read more about the new recycling technique here.
Information via Inhabitat and Science Daily. Photo: FreeFoto.com
This article appears in Dec 9-15, 2010.