Pushing paper

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Jane Muller
Share This Story

A lot of interesting items end up in the loads of recyclable materials collected at the curb around Hamilton, according to Dennis Guy, project manager with the City. A recent find was a copy of the Hamilton Spectator from 1967, fully intact but a bit musty.

It’s actually the quality of the paper and not what’s printed on it that matters when the loads of recyclables are dumped at Hamilton’s recycling plant and sorted. The sorting begins when the trucks arrive carrying the paper and containers that residents sort into their Blue Boxes. The paper is dumped into one area and is then shifted to a sorting area.

Guy admits that “it’s all paper” but not all paper coming out of blue boxes is equal. It is sorted according to quality. At the top of the recycling heap is paper with the longest fibres, like materials printed on virgin paper stock. Newsprint has shorter fibres because it has some recycled paper content. Cardboard is in another category and is sorted out separately.

Once the paper is sorted it is compacted into huge square blocks called ‘bales’ that are held together by heavy gauge wire. Forklifts transfer the bales onto transport trucks. Depending on the end use, companies purchase specific kinds of paper to suit their recycling needs.

To find out more about recycling and other waste management programs, check out the website at www.hamilton.ca/waste.

HOME & GARDEN FEATURED VIDEOS

RSS

HOME & GARDEN FEATURED ARTICLES

RSS

MEET THE EXPERTS

David  Lopinski
David Lopinski
Defender Electric
Owner
Read Full Profile >>
Terry Bobiak
Terry Bobiak
QSI Windows
President and Owner
Read Full Profile >>
Florence Busnello
Florence Busnello
City of Hamilton, Waste Management Division
Recycling Queen
Read Full Profile >>
Jacquie Colangelo
Jacquie Colangelo
City of Hamilton, Waste Management Division
Queen of Green
Read Full Profile >>
Robb Ryan
Robb Ryan
East Hamilton Radio
Custom Audio/Video Manager
Read Full Profile >>
Mark Runciman
Mark Runciman
Royal Botanical Gardens
CEO
Read Full Profile >>
Dennis Guy
Dennis Guy
City of Hamilton, Waste Management Division
Master Recycler
Read Full Profile >>
Tracy Bezeau
Tracy Bezeau
DailyWebTV.com
Channel Producer and Host
Read Full Profile >>
Shane  Ormerod
Shane Ormerod
Hamilton Conservation Authority
Manager, Wild Waterworks
Read Full Profile >>
Barb McKean
Barb McKean
Royal Botanical Gardens
Head of Education
Read Full Profile >>
Tys Theysmeyer
Tys Theysmeyer
Royal Botanical Gardens
Head of Conservation
Read Full Profile >>
 Water and Wastewater Group
Water and Wastewater Group
Environment & Sustainable Infrastructure Division (ESI)

Read Full Profile >>
VIEW ALL OFFERS

Special Offers

  • Poker Night

    Win great prizes and more!

    More...
  • Monthly Special Offers!

    Visit any Dell Pharmacy and start saving.

    More...
  • Electric Savings!

    Use this coupon towards a Defender Electric service call.

    More...
  • Moving Soon?

    Find out what Paul has listed here.

    More...
  • Exciting savings!

    Audio/Video, Car Audio, Marine, Custom A/V

    More...
  • Corporate and Group Bookings

    Buy a day pass online!

    More...
  • Are You A Window Shopper?

    Replacing your old doors or windows?

    More...
  • Follow Us on Facebook

    Daily Web TV has a Fan Page.

    More...