Problems in Paper Recycling of Vietnam

Abstract

Paper production can be considered as an important factor for the development of one country. On the way of development, Vietnam has increased steadily in paper consumption; however, the paper production did not get to the same speed. One of the reasons remains in input material which composes of wood or other agricultural fiber sources and recovered paper. Statistical data on pulp and paper production have been taken into consideration. Reasons for the low in recycling rate have been analyzed.

Moreover a picture of recovered paper in Vietnam has been drawn. In form of recycling villages, the recovered paper production is operated completely by hand or by using simple tools. Data in emissions of additives, and the impacts resulting from those emissions are lacking. Since recycled paper is used very popular in flow of domestic consumption, this product has shown a big risk to the human health and the production is a big risk to the environment.

Glossary and Definitions

Recovered paper (R.P.) utilization

means use of recovered paper as raw material to produce new products.

Apparent collection

means utilization plus exports minus imports of recovered paper.

Utilization rate

means percentage of recovered paper utilization compared to the total paper production.

Collection rate

means percentage of apparent collection compared to the total paper consumption.

Recycling rate

means percentage of recovered paper utilization compared to the total paper consumption.

Utilization

by sector means total use of recovered paper in a sector as a percentage of the overall recovered paper use.

Recovered paper

mainly consists of cellulose pulp. EINECS identifies cellulose pulp as follow: “The fibrous substances obtained from the treatment of lignocelluloses substances (wood or other agricultural fiber sources) with one or more aqueous solutions of pulping and/or bleaching chemicals, composed of cellulose, hemi-cellulose, lignin and other minor components. The relative amounts of these components depend on the extent of the pulping and bleaching processes” (EINECS number 265-995-8, Waste and recovered substances, p. 14).³

Recovered paper

may contain other constituents such as pigments, inks, glues, fillers, etc. Regarding the recovery and recycling process, constituents that have no specific function in the material (cellulose pulp), can, therefore, be considered as impurities.

Impurities

are an unintended constituent present in a substance as produced. It may originate from the starting materials or be the result of secondary or uncompleted reactions during the production process. While it is present in the final substance it was not intentionally added (EINECS number 265-995-8, Waste and recovered substances, p. 8).