The manufacturing process of recycled paper and actions associated with environmental costs to industry in the state of Santa Catarina

Abstract

The growing concern with environmental preservation requires the reduction and/or elimination of negative effects resulting from industrial production processes. In light of this, the article sets out to describe the process involved in the fabrication of recycled paper and to identify actions taken by business associated with environmental costs. To do so, an exploratory study was made, by means of a case study of a Santa Catarina industry, using a qualitative approach with the data. One result of the research was to ascertain that the fabrication process begins with the addition of raw materials, passes through breakdown and refining of pulp, followed by fibrous suspension, and ends with the drying and rerolling of the paper in order to evaluate its quality. The treatment given to waste materials by the recycling industry contributes to environmental preservation since almost all of it goes back into the industrial process of making paper, in the form of raw material. The study concluded that this figures prominently as a pro-active function to environmental cost management in terms of prevention of environmental damage and, consequently, contributes to a reduction in costs.