Converting
This involves collection of household waste paper by local "Jua
Kali" people. You will find at various "Open Air"
locations if you look around in Nairobi, "The Jua Kali
Waste collection points". It is also a very common feature
that individuals come to our homes asking to purchase old newspapers.
It has now become mandatory by law in America and various parts
of Europe for households to segregate their waste. Householders
are supplied by different coloured dustbins by their councils
to enable them segregate waste. Failure to do so results in
heavy fines and penalties. Why is waste
paper used?
Waste paper is used because it is cheap source of fibre. The
use of waste paper is not a new idea. Here in Kenya, waste paper
has been used by Kenya Papermills Limited since 1958. Paper
was originally made from rags, the waste from the textile industry.
The main reasons for using waste paper are:
- It can be economic, depending on the individual mill situation
and the grades of paper they make. Secondary fibre recovered
from waste paper is a cheaper raw material then virgin fibre.
- It can save on energy, mainly due to a lower refining
requirement and the fact that it is already made into pulp.
This is important because the paper industry is an energy
intensive industry.
- It can conserve primary and virgin raw material. It has
been estimated that one tonne of waste paper is equivalent
to approximately nine trees. This therefore helps conserve
our trees, environment and ecology.
- Improves the balance of payments situation in Kenya, by
reducing imports of virgin pulp and increasing exports of
finished products made from waste paper (secondary fibre).
For your information The Chandaria Group, exports approximately
$1000,000.00 dollars worth of recycled paper every month.
Thus earning the country valuable and scarce foreign currency.
- Creates employment in the collection, separation and processing
of waste paper. In Kenya there are approximately 3000 individuals
from the "Jua Kali" sector involved directly with
waste paper collection nationally.
- Environmentally, it extends the life of landfill sites,
reduces pollution and disposal costs. Waste paper is cheaper
than virgin fibre, but costs of processing must be taken
into account. The main problem associated with waste paper
use is contaminant removal, ink removal, dispersing and
bleaching, which adds onto the processing costs.
Waste paper in Kenya
A high proportion of the fibres used in paper and board products
consist of secondary fibre. In Kenya, in 1995, 75,000 tons of
waste paper were used in the production of 150,000 tons of paper
and board. Waste paper is thus the most important source of
fibre used, with a waste paper utilization rate of almost 50%,
the recovery rate of waste paper in Kenya is low. There is considerable
potential in Kenya for expansion of waste paper collection.
There is demand and ready market for it.
Major waste paper grades
There are many different types of waste paper, which are used
in a variety of paper and board products. There are three major
types of waste paper that are used in Kenya.
They are:-
- Pure white shavings
- Assorted Mixed Waste
- Brown Waste (old boxes and trimmings)
Waste paper in Kenya is used to make the following grades of
paper:-
- Test Liner - used to make corrugated boxes
- Fluting Medium - Used to make corrugated boxes
- Duplicating paper
- Newsprint
- MG pressing - for exercise books
- Envelope Paper
- Toilet Tissue
- Napkin Paper
- Facial Tissue Paper
- Offset Paper - used for printing magazines
- Bag kraft
Grades of waste paper usually reflect the product grade i.e.
true recycling, there is a degree of downcycling, where the
waste paper is of a higher quality than the paper product produced
e.g. magazines are used in newsprint manufacture. There is no
upcycling of paper.
Municipal
Solid Waste
CrisisOne of the most significant issues affecting the waste
paper industry today is the issue of Municipal Solid Waste and
its disposal. In Kenya, approximately 80 - 90% of municipal
solid waste generated is land filled. The problem is that the
landfill sites are rapidly filling and ther is almost no new
sites or very few sites available. Attention is focused on paper
products as they currently account for over 30% of the municipal
solid waste collected.
DISPOSAL
There are three main methods of disposing of municipal solid
waste:-
LANDFILL
In Kenya 80 - 90% of municipal solid waste is land filled, however,
as already mentioned earlier, shortage of accessible sites means
alternative methods must be considered.
INCINERATION
Incineration can recover energy from waste by converting it
into heat and power. Air pollution constraints and high capital
costs of equipment has limited use.
RECYCLING
Recycling is at present the best solution to the solid waste
crisis.
Efforts to increase recycling rates are being made. Worldwide
efforts are so far being made in the U. S. A. and Europe, where
governments are legislating the paper industry. This means that
the paper recycling and collection and segregation will become
mandatory. In Germany, the government, Institutions and Corporations
will only buy products which has a "BLUE ANGEL" Accreditation.
The "BLUE ANGEL" signifies that the product has over
50% of the contents which is recycled.
Here in Kenya, there is no such legislation yet. Waste paper
collected is done purely on voluntary basis by entrepreneurs.
There is still no serious awareness here about the environmental
aspect of the problem and that waste paper is a renewable source
of raw materials. Our local authorities have still not recognized
the potential of recycling, but it is inevitable that legislation
will come into Kenya in the near future.
LEGISLATION
Legislation is mandating reycling programmes to help divert
mush of the waste paper stream from landfills to other outlets.
So far, as mentioned earlier, most legislation has been implemented
in the U. S. A. and Western Europe.
Recycling Legislation appears to fall into five major categories:-
- Collection and separation legislation
- Legislation stating minimum contents of
recycling fiber in products
- Prohibihition of Government to purchase
unrecyclable materials or items containing unrecyclabe materials
- Incentives for recycled paper products
- Surcharges on virgin paper products
|
Overview
| Waste Management |
De-Inking | Manufacturing
| Converting 