Reading magazines can be fun if you are the type that enjoys acquiring knowledge on a subject or an industry. As such, you probably do not bother about accumulating them.
However, the issue comes when you look around your home or office. And then you discover various old magazines lying around. Even worse, everywhere is looking like a pack of trees or a magazine factory.
You don’t really like this for your place, do you think of cleaning up and disposing of them. Or better, you’re thinking of what better way to handle this eyesore.
Well, you’re probably wondering if magazines are recyclable now. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
In this post, we’ll answer the question, are magazines recyclable. We’ll also explain other related matters. This way, you’re well informed of the options.
Can You Recycle Magazine?
So, to the important question you’re thinking of, can you recycle your magazine. Well, the fact is that you don’t just have to dispose of your magazines. You can always recycle them.
Yes, that’s right, like almost everything, magazines are recyclable. Rather than have them litter around, you can recycle them. And this will involve a step by step process where you turn them back to paper.
In turn, you and others can then use this paper for various purposes. Don’t worry. We’ll get to these uses later on.
Why Should I Recycle My Magazines?
You might be wondering why you need to recycle your old magazines. Or better, what you stand to gain. We’ve got you. Here are four reasons why you should recycle your magazines today.
1. Reduces Pollution
Old materials that have lost their relevance tend to pollute the environment when you don’t dispose of them. However, disposing of them can cause an increase in landfill waste. In turn, this causes land and air pollution.
So, instead of just disposing of them, why not decide to recycle them. That way, less pollution while also keeping people in jobs and getting rid of useless materials.
2. Provides Space
Old magazines tend to fill up the room. So, by recycling them, you can lose these items and free up space. This way, you don’t need to keep thinking of enlarging your room or apartment.
It’s simple. Reach out to the local recycling center, free some space, and keep the old trash far away.
3. Environmental Protection
Magazines are paper made from trees. So, to make new ones, more trees are being pulled down to get the pulp. This puts the environment in danger and poses a risk to our biodiversity.
However, the great news is that by recycling your magazine you can reduce the number of trees getting cut. It’s simple; your recycled magazine is a fresh paper that producers can print on.
Consequently, since there’s a fresh paper, you would have just saved a tree. Precisely, in this way, we keep reusing the trees without harming new ones.
4. It Helps You Make Money
Yes, recycling makes you money. When you gather your old magazines and take them to the local recycling center, you get paid for it. So, if you’re looking for a way to make money. Here’s one.
You can always sell your existing magazine and earn some extra cash.
What Do I Get Back from Recycling My Magazines?
There are a lot of things to do with your recycled magazines. Because magazines are often coated with white clay and have thick fibers, you can still reuse them for a long time. Various output includes:
- Copy and printer paper
- Tissue
- Paperboard
- Newsprint
How to Recycle Magazines?
The process for recycling magazines is almost the same as the process for recycling other forms of paper. Are you wondering how it gets done? Here you go.
- Once your magazines get to the recycling factory, they get labeled as mixed papers. This is because magazines are a result of different quality of fiber.
- Depending on their labeling, they are baled and transported to a hopper using a conveyor. This hopper directs the bale into a floatation vet that contains chemicals and water.
- The bale is then mulched, heated, and begins to break down into mushes to form a pulp.
- This pulp then gets forced into a screen with varying hole shapes. This is mostly done to remove larger particles like pins and small metals from the pulp.
- This sorted pulp gets spun to remove further remove the heavy particles. With this process, the needed and light particles would settle in the center and would be collected.
- The collected material is then de-inked with surfactants to remove the inks in the pulp.
- After this, depending on the end product of the pulp, it would be bleached. If the pulp is to be made into a white paper, then definitely, bleaching is needed. If it is to be made into cardboard or something else, there may be no need for bleaching.
- The last process involves rolling. Here, the washed pulp is spread on screens to make some water-like paper, and then it is heated and dried with a metal roller. After this, it is rolled up and ready for reuse.
Are Glossy Magazines Recyclable?
You are probably confused. You do not know if your shining-looking and smooth magazines can be recycled. Well, we thought it could not be too, but here is what we found out. Yes, you can also recycle glossy magazines.
But before you do that, you have to be sure that your glossy magazine is not fitted or does not contain plastic coatings.
One of the tests for determining this is trying to see if you can easily tear it if you can, then you pretty much can recycle it. But if you cannot, then it probably contains a plastic coating and cannot be recycled.
What Else Can I Do With Old Magazines?
While recycling is a great choice. The fact is that you don’t always have to recycle. You can still apply your old magazines to loads of use. And in turn, save space and have fun.
Although you might need to have a meter or two of creativity, we’ve got you covered. Here are some things to do with your old magazines instead of just dumping them.
- With either tapes or staples, you can use your old magazines to make a mini Christmas tree for your kids.
- You can make paper flowers with just your old magazines, glue and a skewer.
- If you love to look good, you can make your old magazines into decorative beads.
- If you run out of envelopes, you can use your old magazines for a homemade envelope.
- You can also get a long-term friendship if you develop the habit of giving your old magazines to people or donating to schools or associations.
- If your magazines are not too old, you can decide to sell them to schools to raise some cash for yourself or charity.
There is pretty much you can do with your old magazines; it depends on your creativity and time.
Can I Put Old Magazines in My Recycle Bin?
You can put your magazines in your recycle bin, but you would have to do something else. Due to some magazines’ glossy nature, they are difficult to recycle because of the plastic or polymer fiber some magazines comprise of.
Because of this, you may have to separate the ones coated with white clay from the rest. You can also inform your recycle bin collector so that they can sort this out on their own. Most big recycle bin collectors can do this at their offices.
How Can I Recycle Magazines for Cash?
Everyone needs more money daily. If you need some extra cash and thinking of how to convert your old magazines to cash, we have you covered. Let us explain the process.
- You first have to gather your old magazines. Then, get ready to transport them to a recycling center. Alternatively, you can reach out to a local recycling center for possible pick up.
- Locate the best recycling center that would pay you what your magazine’s worth. You can compare prices to get the best deal.
- You should then begin to sort out your old magazines, depending on the type of paper. Often, the magazines with the glossy page cover with white clay and large fiber get separated from the rest.
- Once you do all this, you can drive down to the recycling center or put a call through to them for possible pick up. Whatever way you decide to do it, once the magazines have been taken possession of by the recycling center, you get paid your cash.
Pretty well, that is how to make your first cash from recycling your old magazines.
In Conclusion
Instead of just stocking up your old magazines and polluting your environment with used materials, you can move today to recycle them. Remember that by deciding to recycle your old magazines, you are doing a whole lot for your environment, making some extra cash, and, more importantly, keeping your home sane.
