In-office paper recycling is a closed loop

PaperLab by Epson shreds and recycles waste paper in offices via a ‘dry’ process, which is more economical and sustainable than traditional offsite recycling.

Though office printing is often frowned upon as not eco-friendly, the benefits of working offline persists. That’s why we’re seeing recycled paper becoming prevalent, as well as printers that fund tree planting as users print. Now, PaperLab by Epson is enabling a completely in-office closed loop for paper production.

Part paper shredder, part printer, the device breaks down waste paper and rapidly prints clean white sheets to a range of sizes and thicknesses. PaperLab can produce up to 14 sheets of A4 paper per minute, or 6720 sheets over an average office day, using an almost ‘dry’ process that doesn’t require the usual large amounts of water for pulping. The traditional paper loop requires a fuel-heavy process of transporting new paper to offices and waste paper away to recycling plants, and while details of how energy efficient the units will be are unknown, closing this paper cycle is a green step forward.

With an unveiling at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center this week, details of costs, roll out and processes will be made available soon. How else could traditional recycling loops be closed?