🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1994Feb10.042829.12563@ictv.com> adrienne@nextoid.ictv.com (Adrienne Lea Weiss) writes:

>I am looking for a way to recycle or reuse paper drinking cups, at my
>University they are mostly used for hot drinks.  We get the cups from the
>Sweetheart Cup Co. in Chicago Il.  This is a project for school, any help
>or info. would be rewarded with heart felt greatfulness.

The recycle path depends on the cup composition. If you don't have 
analytical faciliies, contact Sweetheart.

1- If the cup is not too heavily polycoated or sized, it may be acceptable 
to local wastepaper dealers. Check locally. Cupstock is usually a very 
high grade of fiber.

2- Sweetheart probably has some means of recycling their internal process 
waste. If you can collect enough material, they might be interested in 
buying it (tens of tons, at least, would be needed)

3- If the liquid resistance comes from internal size, the material may be 
very hard to repulp. Technology exists to do this, but is specialized and 
localized. Look for a local or regional milk carton bottling facility and 
try to merge your waste stream with their's.

4- If the material is heavily polycoated, it gives rise to "stickies" in 
the papermaking process when repulped. The most modern recycling 
facilities can separate stickies but older ones cannot. Stickies do a lot of 
dammage to a paper machine if they get through. Check your local recyclers.