Recycling cycle – sustainability at every step

Paper is a genuine circular product! A paper fiber can be reused up to ten times before it loses its quality. Yesterday’s newspaper will not only become tomorrow’s newspaper, but also the one of the day after tomorrow. Our paper is made from 80% recycled waste paper and actively contributes to environmental protection.

The paper cycle explained in 9 steps.

The recycling cycle

At Perlen Papier we rely on a closed recycling loop that makes every step in the paper manufacturing process sustainable. Here you can see how we recycle today’s paper for the future:

1 | newsprint insert

In Switzerland, we use around 1.53 million tons of paper every year. Perlen Papier is used by all major Swiss newspapers and in various magazines. The proportion of waste paper in our papers averages around 80 %.

2 | Collect and recycle

Switzerland is one of the top recycling countries in the world – 82% of paper is recycled. Three quarters of used graphic paper (newspapers, magazines, etc.) is recycled at Perlen. In terms of weight, paper and cardboard are the most important recycling fractions: With over 1.3 million tons, waste paper weighs 4 times more than collected waste glass and 40 times more than PET.

3 | Raw material wood

The production of paper also requires fresh wood fibers. 85 % of the wood is used in the form of sawmill wood chips, 15 % in the form of round timber directly from Swiss forests (spruce/fir). Perlen Papier The wood is sourced from certified and controlled stands.

4 | Waste paper recycling

Items such as glass, plastic and tinned food are sorted out of the waste paper. As the largest waste paper disposal company in Switzerland, the APS Altpapier Service Schweiz organizes reliable waste paper recycling for municipalities, trade and industry.

5 | Paper preparation

In the pulping drum, water and additives are used to dissolve the waste paper into its individual fibers. In the subsequent deinking process, the printing ink is removed from the fibers with the help of soap and other additives.

6 | Paper production

The PM7 is one of the largest and most efficient paper machines in the world. The resource-saving overall concept enables energy-efficient production of newsprint. The PM7 is almost 200 meters long and produces up to 360,000 tons of paper per year.

We produce magazine and specialty papers with the modern, high-performance PM4. The base paper is produced, coated and smoothed in a single operation. The PM4 produces up to 200,000 tons of paper per year.

7 | Drying

The hot exhaust air from Renergia is used to dry the paper webs. This saves 30 million liters of oil per year.

8 | Delivery

Every day, around 1,500 tons of paper leave the Perlen Papier AG by road and rail. 35% of deliveries in Switzerland are made by rail.

9 | Application

Paper is printed and processed in printing plants and publishing houses. Perlen Papier is the only manufacturer of newsprint and magazine paper in Switzerland.

Figures on our paper recycling

of waste paper is recycled each year by us.

recycled content in our papers.

A paper fiber can be reused up to ten times.

Why recycling?

Paper fibers can be recycled up to ten times before they lose their structure. This significantly reduces the environmental impact and saves valuable resources such as water and energy. Thanks to state-of-the-art technologies in our paper mill, we can maintain the quality of the recycled paper at a consistently high level.

Our handling with resources