What Do Shredding Companies Do With The Shredded Paper?

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What do shredding companies do with the shredded paper?

It’s recycled!

• The shredded paper is compressed into bales and then sent to a recycling centre
• The paper is mixed with water and turned into pulp
• The pulp is cleaned to remove debris and ink
• The pulp is recycled into new paper products

At Russell Richardson, our shredded paper is made into soft tissue hygiene products.

Below is what happens to the shredded paper we collect.

Mobile paper shredding We shred your documents on-site in a mobile shredding van.	Off-site paper shredding Our secure vans collect documents from your premises and deliver them to our depot, where we shred them within 24 hours.

1. The shredded paper is compressed into bales and taken to a paper mill for recycling.

2. The bales of shredded paper are mixed with water to create a pulp.

3. The pulp is forced through a screen that filters out dirt such as glue or plastic.

4. To make the pulp extra clean, it’s then spun in large cone-shaped vats, where any debris falls to the bottom.

5. To remove the ink, the pulp is put into a chemical solution and blasted with air bubbles. The ink sticks to the air bubbles and rises to the top, where it’s skimmed off. Any colour particles are then removed from the pulp before it’s bleached to turn it white.

7. The pulp is then spread onto wire screens to drain, before being passed through heated rollers to dry.

8. The paper is then run under an embosser—embossing the paper makes it more absorbent.

9. Machines then spool the paper around tubes of cardboard which will become the rolls in the centre of the toilet tissue, kitchen roll or paper towels.

• Read more about paper recycling here.
• Read our guide to information security regulations here.
• Read more about our paper shredding services here.

To find out about what we could do for your business, contact the team or call 0800 294 6552.

Related Articles

• Confidential waste - what is it and how can I ensure my business disposes of it securely?

• Discover what paper can and can't be recycled with our paper recycling FAQs

• Guide to regulations

• Paper shredding for businesses

• What counts as confidential waste?

• Why use a shredding service?

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"Russell Richardson staff were always extremely helpful and accommodating, always friendly and polite. Nothing was too much trouble and we found the service to not only be extremely time-saving and convenient but also the most cost-effective method of destruction. Russell Richardson provided an excellent, first class service."

Marilyn Dean, Derbyshire County Council

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