Why India is a world leader in waste paper
- Published 12 March 2019

Ever wondered what happens to the household waste paper thrown out for recycling in Europe and the US?
Since China - once the world's major destination for paper recycling - introduced new restrictions on waste paper imports at the beginning of last year, a significant proportion is now being sent to India where it's reprocessed.
At the NR Agarwal recycling plant in western Gujarat state, huge mountains of waste paper are piled up almost to the ceiling.
The plant, in an industrial estate in the city of Vapi, is one of India's biggest - and the scale of the operation here is striking.
Workers use bulldozers to break open massive bales of waste paper, and teams of women in brightly coloured saris sort the paper into different types.

In one pile the front page of an edition of the Sunday Telegraph is clearly visible. In another I spot the green masthead of an English local paper - the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review.
"Most of our imports are from the UK and the USA," says Ashok Bansal, the company's executive director.
He shows us how the paper is sorted and loaded onto a conveyor belt to be pulped. The resulting bluish mass is then treated with chemicals and coated onto huge, humming rollers which churn out large sheets of clean white paper ready to be used again.
As we speak, a lorry arrives carrying a new load of scrap paper from Belgium.
Every day now more and more trucks are roaring along the road to the factory from the nearby docks, and the paper mountains in Mr Bansal's factory are growing.

Chinese restrictions
The reason for the resurgence in paper reprocessing is that China - once the destination for more than half the world's recyclable scrap paper, metal and plastic - has imposed new restrictions on waste imports. The authorities said they were taking action to protect public health and the environment.
The decision - announced on 1 January 2018 - left Western countries scrambling to find a new home for their recyclable waste.

Many were facing the choice of either dumping waste in landfill sites, or burning it, until Indian reprocessing plants like Mr Bansal's stepped into the breach.
During the first half of last year, there was a 200% rise in waste paper exports from the European Union to India, according to the Confederation of European Paper Industries. And from the US exports rose by more than 100% between January and October last year compared to the same period in 2017, according to the International Scrap Recycling Institute (ISRI).
"We are now using bigger ships to export [to India] because the volumes of recyclable paper going out is significantly up," says Ranjit Baxi, chairman of J and H Sales, a major recycling firm in the UK.
"And we think India will continue to grow as a market for us."
For the Indian companies it's a win-win situation.
"India is a raw material scarce country," says Mr Bansal. "We don't have lots of trees and jungles to convert wood into pulp. We are mostly dependent on waste paper and that demand can be provided by the Western world."
Bucking the trend
At the bustling paper market in Old Delhi, India's need for paper goods is clear to see.
The market sells everything from novels and exercise books to paper for technical design and charts.
Shoppers and traders jostle for space on the narrow pavements.
"The crowds here are getting bigger all the time," says bookseller Shabir Hussein. "Sometimes I just can't cope with the demand."
Much of the paper made in India is used to make books and school books for a rapidly growing population, and to make cardboard boxes and other types of packaging for the expanding manufacturing sector.
But a significant amount also ends up as newsprint.
India might be known around the world as a centre of the high-tech industry, but it's also a country where the print media is booming.
Annual newspaper and magazine sales have soared from 40 million in 2006 to nearly 63 million in 2016, according to India's Audit Bureau Circulation.
Experts say the main reason India is bucking the global trend is that although access to the internet via smartphones, laptops and tablets is widespread, many Indians still prefer to have their news delivered to their homes every morning in the form of a daily newspaper.

Reversal of fortunes
The influx of waste paper imports from abroad has helped an industry in India that until last year was in serious decline due to the scarcity and cost of waste paper to recycle.
"In past years more than one-quarter of paper mills were forced to shut down because of expensive waste paper prices," says entrepreneur Aman Sethi.
"Now with this surge in imports the prices have come down and they are reopening."
For the local economy that means new jobs, not just in the recycling plants but also at the ports and in the transport companies ferrying the paper to and from the plants.
And the trend looks set to continue, for now at least.
The Indian recycling industry needs nearly 14 million tonnes of waste paper to meet current demands.
Domestic recycling only produces 30% of that amount, and recycling levels are only half the global average. So the demand for waste paper from abroad is likely to remain strong.
But the challenge facing Indian importers is how to enforce more stringent rules about the kind of waste they are prepared to accept.
In the first few months of last year several consignments of paper were unusable because they contained plastic, and paper mills even blacklisted some UK and US suppliers.
"Anybody who intends to export waste paper to India will have to comply with our strict regulations," said Sujeet Samaddar, from Niti Aayog, India's top planning body that is now formulating a national recycling policy.
"It's not as if the floodgates will open for any old paper to come into India."

Recycling : Recycling in India: A Market in Transition
- # recycling
India generates an estimated 960 million tonnes of waste a year. On this subject, India is once again a land of contradictions. It has countless illegal dump sites and waste incineration in the street on the one hand and hightech solutions on the other.
But one thing is clear: the recycling rate is low for solid waste. The country’s Central Pollution Control Board reports that about 70% of this waste is disposed of in landfills, many of which are illegal and unregulated and subsequently endanger the drinking water. About 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste is generated in India every year. By 2030, this figure is expected to nearly triple to 165 million tonnes and by 2045 to reach a staggering 450 million tonnes.
At the same time, recycling is confined mostly to large cities, yet the procedures for collection and recycling there are anything but uniform. Municipalities often lack the money to process the collected waste. That is because two thirds of the expenditure already go towards collection itself according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Unknown recycling rates
The actual utilisation rates, be they thermal or through recycling, remain in any case substantially lower than what could be achieved. The rate for paper is just under 30%; for plastics, about 60%; for metal, between 20% and 25%. As with nearly all data on Indian waste management, the figures here are estimates and their reliability is difficult to judge. “The reason for this is that a large proportion of waste is collected and subsequently recycled in the informal sector,” ex- plains Aditi Ramola, technical director at ISWA.
Integrating the waste collectors in India’s waste management system more effectively is therefore still one of the major challenges facing the country today. Without these people, waste disposal and recycling would collapse in many cities. For instance, the Mumbai district of Dharavi, the second largest slum in Asia, has been able to establish itself as one of India’s key recycling sites. Every year, about 15,000 micro-entrepreneurs recycle waste there valued at about one million dollars. In the process, they create jobs for some 250,000 people, as waste collectors, dealers and day labourers.
India is just now building up industrial collection and recycling systems, although with companies such as Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited, there are already big players capable of processing substantial quantities of waste. Ramky talks about six million tonnes a year. The company has successively expanded its business, as have several of its rivals.
Huge market
And for good reason. Municipal solid waste is considered a highly promising sector for entrepreneurs. Recycling and thermal utilisation of solid waste open many possible lines of business in this sector because these processes seek to keep especially the dry fraction out of the already overburdened landfills wherever possible. Thus, India is currently planning to construct about 100 new waste incineration plants, which have the potential to produce an estimated 3 GW of energy from waste in 2050. At the same time, work is also underway on legislative measures aimed at increasing the waste utilisation rate. For example, a 100% recycling and recovery rate is planned to be made mandatory for PET by 2025.
PET and other plastics are one of the toughest challenges confronting the Indian waste management sector today. With per capita plastic consumption of 12 kilogrammes, India is below the average of the highly developed countries in the West. However, because of its size, it ranks in the top five countries in the world in the amount of plastic waste generated. According to Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, the number of plastic recyclers nationwide totals around 30,000, most of them businesses on a mini or micro scale. Nonetheless, about 40% of this waste still ends up in landfills.
The plastic problem has meanwhile become so virulent that Prime Minister Modi himself recently appealed to his fellow citizens to consume less plastic, for instance by relying on recyclable materials such as wood in the production of handmade Indian toys.
The paper challenge
Besides plastic, a ban on paper and glass in landfills is also expected by 2025. The situation with paper is doubly dramatic: on the one hand, large quantities of it continue to be disposed of in unlawful ways; on the other hand, Indian paper manufacturers complain about a massive shortage of waste- paper – not least because of the drop in consumption during the COVID-19 crisis.
According to information from the Indian Corrugated Case Manufacturers’ Association (ICCMA), wastepaper prices in India have doubled in the meantime from about 150 dollars a tonne prior to COVID-19 to about 300 dollars at present. However, the insufficient quantities collected domestically and the pandemic are only part of the reason for this trend. The situation in China also plays a role.
Since China banned the import of waste-paper at the start of 2021, Chinese factories have been purchasing recycled kraft paper in India in a big way and using it as the basis for their own paper production. According to information from ICCMA, about 20% of the Indian kraft paper output will go to China this year. That amounts to about two million tonnes. Thus, the Indian domestic market lacks these same quantities. In 2018 the export rate was still at 0%.
Another outstanding issue is how India will deal with the increasing quantities of waste. Until a few years ago it had not experienced waste in the huge volumes it is seeing nowadays. Electronic waste is one example. A regulation in force since 2018 stipulates that manufacturers should set up systems for taking back discarded electronic devices, but these efforts have not really gained traction. In 2020, there were just 312 businesses in all of India that were authorised to recycle electronic waste.
With their capacities, these businesses manage to handle at most a quarter of the electronic waste generated nation- wide. The situation has been improved slightly by the informal sector. According to some estimates, it recycles up to 90% of the electronic waste that is generated. Compared to glass or paper, however, electronic waste poses a much greater risk of informal recyclers not treating the collected material with state-of-the-art approaches and thereby endangering themselves and also the environment.
If you had to describe waste management in India in a few words, how would you do so?
India is a rapidly growing country, and the volume of waste is growing accordingly. The population is currently 1.3 billion, and is still growing.. At the same time, economic output is rising, and with it prosperity. So on the one hand we have more consumption, but on the other we still have the problem that waste is often not collected and disposed of properly. The construction of waste and resource facilities and landfills that are properly managed and do not endanger the environment is therefore still an important issue. Another challenge is the very high level of construction activity. In terms of volume, construction and demolition waste is the largest frac- tion at 500 to 700 million tonnes per year. Then comes industrial waste at around 200 million tonnes and municipal solid waste at around 62 million tonnes per year.
And here, the proportion of plastic is also increasing massively
This is a development that we have been experiencing since the early 1990s, ever since India opened up its market. However, the wet fraction still accounts for the largest share of municipal solid waste, at around 60% according to some studies. It is relatively easy to process if it is separated at source. This means that the most urgent recycling mission at the moment must be to separate this fraction from other fractions. Separating the wet fraction, dry fraction and sanitary waste in every household would be an impor- tant step. Unfortunately, despite robust waste management rules and regulations that were mostly updated in 2016, implementation lags behind across most of the country. The situation is better in large cities and worse in smaller towns.
At the same time, however, there are reports that the recycling rate in India is very high. In some cases, there is talk of up to 60%.
The figures on this vary widely. The reason for this is that a large proportion of waste is collected and subsequently recycled in the informal sector. It is therefore difficult to say to what extent the figures are correct. In any case, the informal sector is very important, which is why efforts are being made to integrate it into the municipal waste management system. The collectors then receive ID cards, for example, and work on behalf of the municipalities. The informal sector is particularly important when it comes to collecting and recycling the dry frac- tion, i.e. paper, glass, plastic and metal.
What will India’s waste management sector have to face in the future?
Plenty. As mentioned at the beginning, we need to continue to increase collection rates, otherwise we will not be able to control the improper management of waste, which has an impact on human health and the environment. At the same time, India must find ways to respond to the increasing amounts of plastic in the trash. Here, the trend is more towards technical solutions rather than reduction and prevention. And finally, India is not unaffected by new types of waste. Here, too, the proportion of electronic waste and hazardous waste is rising.

How To Start Paper Recycling Business In India| SkillsAndTech
The paper that we use is mostly a biodegradable waste that can easily be decomposed with the passing time. In the present times there has been a huge usage of paper. Nearly everywhere we go we can easily see papers around. The usage of paper is vivid and is increasing by time. Some basic usage of paper includes newspapers, books, text copy, pamphlets, posters, magazine papers, calendars, and many more.
The world market of paper is very huge and is in billions. Paper is made using the pulp from trees. As of 2011, 398, 975 thousand tons of paper is produced every year. In this article I am sharing profitable business plan for paper recycling business. If you want to start your own paper recycling plant then read this article till the very end, you will get all information about profit margin in this business and cost of setting up a paper recycling plant.
Table of Contents
How Paper is produced?
Paper is produced from the pulp of wood, fibrous plants, rice, water plants, stubbles, and other such materials. The basic material that is required to manufacture paper is fiber which is an essential part in paper making. You can get this pulp mainly from two sources. One is from wood pulp and the other is from old recycled papers. The production of papers required cutting down of tress. One tree in general produces 16.67 reams of paper whereas 12 trees produce 1 ton of paper.
To produce such a huge quantity of papers millions of trees are cut down every year. The rise in cutting down of trees has led to deforestation resulting in rise of global warming. To counter this people are now focusing on recycling of paper.
Is Paper Recycling as a Business A Good Idea
Paper recycling business is a flourishing business that is giving huge returns to its owners. There is abundant demand of recycled paper as they are cheap. If one plans down a strategy, executes it and invest a fair amount of capital then one can get a satisfying return within no time. To lay down a business plan you need to understand the basics of recycling a business, its requirements, investment, and return and so on. Here is a strategic and brief plan that can help you in your paper recycling business.
What Is Paper Recycling Business Plan:
The plan will carry all the details of how your paper recycling business can be opened, executed and run successfully with satisfying return. Here are few things you need to care about.
- Resource Required to open a recycle plant
- cost of setting up a waste paper recycling plant
- Requirement of total capital
- Arrangement of capital
- Time investment
- Strategy for successful recycle business
- Profit margin
- Return on investment
What License Are Required For Paper Recycling Business
While executing Paper Recycling Business ideas you must look for a license required for the Paper Recycling Business.
Registration of Firm:
You may start the small to medium business either a Proprietorship or partnership farm For Partnership operation, you have to register as a limited liability partnership (LLP) or Pvt. Ltd. A company with Registrar of Companies (ROC).
GST Registration:
Get GST number (compulsory for all business after GST rule), tax identification number and insurance certificate Trade License: obtain the Trade License from local authorities.
Pollution Certificate:
apply for pollution certificate because business is dealing with the pollutant.
MSME / SSI registration-
Fastener manufacturing is a machinery-based industry. Registering your business at the MSME / SSI Registry can provide you with government subsidies and benefits.
EPF Registration:
Employees state insurance which is an insurance scheme for workers.
ESI Registrations:
Employees provident fund is compulsory for the business were more than 20 employees are working.
Trade Mark:
Register your brand name with a trademark that will protect your brand.
Vending Machine Business
Bisleri Dealership
Ambuja Cement dealership
Investment of setting up a recycling plant:
The cost estimation which is given below is in Indian currency and is targeting readers from India. This business plan is also valid for other countries like South Africa, Australia, USA, UK, Canada, etc. The cost of machine is nearly same everywhere and recycling process is also same.
Renting or owning of place depending on size varies from place to place which one can calculate. The better option in starting is to rent a place or use an existing place owned by you as it will reduce investment. Waste paper collection doesn’t costs much. Nearly 4-5 rupee is spent to buy 1kg of waste paper.
Purchasing equipment is costly which should best be rented on monthly basis which is easily available if you have contacts. Recycling machine is a costly thing to own which should best be owned. Start with a small machine that costs around 3-5 lakhs while the medium costs at Rs 5-10 lakhs and the large one costs Rs 10-35 lakhs.
Hiring expert technician and labor will cost you Rs 30-40 thousand per month. You can add electric charges, water charge, transportation and other expense as well. A total of at least Rs 10 lakhs is required for the first time in setting up your business. Later you have to spend at least 1-1.5 lakhs per month.
What Is Area Required for Paper Recycling Business
The First basic requirement is a place where you will recycled paper. If your house allows you to setup your plant then it is okay or you need to get a decent space where you can set your factory. Depending on the scale of recycling you can own or rent that space. The minimum space should be around 250sq. feet. The space should be closed with rooms for collecting paper waste, a cleaned room for keeping the recycled paper, a place to setup machines and so on.
What Are Raw Material for Paper Recycling Business
The Basic amenities are required everywhere. You need to have permanent standard power connection with stable water supply. The paper recycling plant requires huge amount of water therefore you need to have that supply. Your plant should not be that far that transportation becomes a problem because you need constant supply of waste paper for your recycle plant. To recycle the paper you need some standard equipment like washing soap, cleaning equipment, bleaching powder, tanks, containers, machines, jets, paper printer, etc.
You can network with scrap collectors, paper waste owners, dumping grounds and so on to collect waste paper.
Jio Dth Franchise
A and W Franchise
Hero MotoCorp Franchise
What Machine Are Required For Paper Recycling Business
There are three types of machines for recycling paper. First is the small type machine that recycles 20-100 kg of paper per hour. The medium size machine recycles 75-250 kg of paper while the large machine recycles 100-500 kg of paper waste. Depending on your requirement and budget you can purchase the machine. It would be advisable to start with small machine and later on go for medium and large machine as it will help you in understanding the business supply and returns.
What Kind Of Business Training Is Required For Paper Recycling Business
You need at least one person who is expert in paper recycling and with major machines and equipment. You also need few labors that will assist the main worker in the recycling job.
What Is The Process Of Paper Recycling Business
Paper recycling has been hugely adopted these days by every country in order to save the cutting down of trees. The benefit of recycling is not only that it saves cutting down of trees but also reduces and reuses paper waste that would have created a mess in the atmosphere. There is unique advantage of recycling paper as it is beneficial in many ways. To produce one A4 size paper nearly 5 liters of water is required. Recycling down of 1 ton of paper saves 26, 500 liters of water, 682.5 gallons of oil and 17 trees.
Inspired by such an effective method, the whole world has invested a huge sum of money in recycling paper waste. Earlier these recycling job was conducted by either government owned businesses or big recycling businesses but now even common man can own a paper recycling business.
Stage 1: Collection
The most common way paper is collected for recycling is via kerbside collection schemes – operated by your local council to make recycling at home as convenient as possible
Stage 2: Recycling
The start of the paper recycling process requires the paper to be separated into types and grades. The paper is then washed to remove any film, glue, ink and other contaminants using soapy water. Once washed the paper is then transfered to a large container, where it is mixed with water to create a pulp.
Stage 3: Rolling
The pulp is then pressed, dried and rolled into large thin sheets of recycled paper that can be over 50 miles long.
How To Sell Recycled Paper
As soon as you have done together with the Recycling paper plan program You need to work on how to sell recycled paper and the best way to promote your business, here we have given the subsequent strategy which you might use to have clients.
Local Marketing
You can foster your Business locally with local media such as Paper, the networking, you are able to brand your small BUSINESS.
Additionally, tell your previous customers and family members to inform about your company, this approach will make it possible for you to get referral customers.
Online Marketing
Aside from local advertising, you have to attempt online marketing that enables you to expand your open BUSINESS internationally and quickly. Here we have mentioned some online advertising strategy which can help you grow your business.
Produce a Website:
To create the internet presence of your company you need to have to create a website that presents your company on the internet and receive you, customers
Once you’ve done with the website production you’re able to article The blog concerning. Which could allow you to get more viewers? Employing high-quality content
The blog post is a long-term marketing strategy, and you also do not Have to pay for blogging frequently, the blog will provide you continuous clients.
Asian Paints Franchise
Winning Edge Franchise
Amazon Delivery Franchise
Boost Your Website For SEO:
Social networking supply a great opportunity for attaining the ideal customers for your business. So long as you know your customer well. It is likely to promote Your Company Utilizing social websites such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc
Sell On Other Website
B2B Websites:
Register your Cashew nut business on B2B websites like
- Exportersindia
etc. where you can sell your product on bulk orders.
B2C Websites:
Register your Cashew nut business on B2C websites like
etc. where you can sell your product directly to the customer.
Retarget Your Customers
Getting clients is not just serve as a reason for the promotion you’re able to retarget your previous customers utilizing the following approach.
Offer Free Product:
Marketing Studies confirmed that people are more prone to Accept something for free. So, you can offer a free service or merchandise to your clientele?
You’re able to retarget your customers by providing them free Service or merchandise
Email Marketing:
Email advertising Is Something Which Every Company Owner Should be considered as a marketing platform
If you can give something at no cost in exchange for your Consumer’s email address. And as soon as you build an email list you can get connected with your previous clients, and target them to market and encourage the merchandise of your enterprise.
Review for Business
While searching for any service or merchandise new customers are constantly looking for the prior portfolio or past work. So you may ask your customers to provide feedback or testimonials that you can utilize to acquire new clients.
Brand and Uniqueness
Apart from all tradition way of promoting; online promotion is a very efficient and effective way to launch your brand.
While marketing the business you need to study the competitors, analyze the competition and do a plane for promoting your brand.
You can open your own online shop where you can sell your product, or you can tie-up with another hosting site that will help to Sale and introduce your product to the customer.
Advertising is a critical advance for the accomplishment of the business.
You have to advance your business from the day you have finished to begin the cashew preparing business.
It will spread to word and you will get a decent measure of customers during the season of your first unit of generation is finished.

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How to Start Paper Recycling Business: A Potential Small-Scale Business with High Market Demand
Products that were made from recycled paper have a huge demand in the global market. Today paper recycling business is one of the potential business ideas that has extensive opportunities in the FMCG and Packing industry and the demand for recycled products is going to skyrocket in the future This article will help you better understand the various steps involved in setting up a Paper recycling company such as business plan, opportunities, investment, market scenario, manufacturing process, and profitable aspects.
How does Paper recycling business work?
A paper recycling center collects enormous amounts of scrap paper which is usually obtained from various sources such as newspapers, books, brochures, and shredded paper waste from commercial units. This scrap paper is bought to the recycling plant where they undergo multiple steps of treatment that finally turn into a semi-liquid substance called pulp. This pulp is finally used to make various products such as recycled papers, paper bags , paper plates cartons, cardboard boxes, and envelopes. These products are in turn sold to various sectors for a good profit margin.

What makes Paper Recycling Business a Profitable One?
Scrap paper which is the key raw material required for paper recycling is the cheapest source. It is also available abundantly throughout the world. The machinery used for paper recycling comes with a wide variety of specifications and sizes
Moreover, one can purchase the entire machinery set-up at an economical price such that it fits a small-scale business budget.
One can make a wide variety of recycled materials from recycled paper such as cardboard boxes, corrugated boxes, paper plates, napkins, paper towels, egg cartons, newspaper, and magzines, etc., considering the diverse products one can make from recycled paper as well as the ease of manufacturing process; paper recycling is considered a profitable business.
To put it in a simpler way, 1 Kg of waste paper price ranges anywhere between 5 to 15 rupees, this waste paper once recycled can make products such as paper bags or envelopes that can be sold at a higher price.
The main profitable aspect of paper recycling is, the main raw material (Scrap paper) is available at a very cheap price, and the end products made from this source are usually sold at a high price leaving a good profit margin for the manufacturer.
How much is it required to Start a Paper Recycling Business?
A small to medium-scale paper recycling business requires around 15-30 Lakhs of investment. The major portion of the investment goes to the paper recycling machines which would cost about 50% of the investment and the remaining investment goes for daily business operations, raw materials, wages to workers, water supply, and marketing
Once the unit is up and running you would need to spend around 1 Lakh every month to run the recycling center which includes buying scrap paper, salary to workers, water and electricity bill,s and maintenance charges
How To Start a Paper Recycling Business – Key things to be Checked
Let us now find out the major steps that were involved in starting a paper recycling business. These steps are usually mentioned when creating a business plan or preparing a feasibility report for funding purposes.
1. Creating an Initial Business Plan for Your Paper Recycling Unit
The first and foremost step in setting up a paper recycling Unit is to decide on a business plan on how you want to operate the business.
This mainly focuses on your budget capability; which means, how much capital you can invest or how much loan you might need to borrow to set up the business etc.,
Based on your investment various things get influenced such as the manufacturing process, machinery, raw material, workers, location, Products, and marketing. Those who were new to the business might find it hard to analyze all such requirements; Hence we have tried our best to help you walk through the process of setting up a small-scale paper recycling unit in the below steps.
2. Resources Required to Start a Paper Recycling Unit
Here are five major resources to run a paper recycling company
Electricity
- Paper recycling machinery
A small-scale paper recycling unit requires around 1200 sq. ft – 1500 sq. ft of space. This can easily accommodate space for a small-scale paper recycling unit with a 25 to 75 kg output capacity and also ample space for drying and storing the materials.
This is the most important requirement for a Paper recycling unit. A small-scale paper recycling center with around 25 to 75kg production capacity would consume around 1000 to 2500 liters of water every day. So, you need to ensure there is a good amount of water supply to your unit. At the same time, it would be a great idea if you can also set-up a small-scale ETP(Effluent Treatment Plant) that can help to treat the wastewater and reuse it for processing the waste paper.
Paper recycling is done with multiple types of machinery and each machine runs on specific power consumption. Depending upon your production capacity and machinery type one must choose how much power supply is required for their unit. A small-scale paper recycling company with 50 kg output requires at least a 3-Phase power connection
Paper Recycling Machinery
There are 7 different types of machines used in the process of paper recycling and below is the list of each item and their use
These items are available in automation-grade and semi-automatic models. The entire set-up would cost around 10 – 15 Lakh rupees.
Again, these totally depend upon your production capacity. Usually, paper recycling machinery can be seen in three different categories a small-scale unit with 25kg/per day; Medium scale unit with 75 Kg/per day, and Large scale paper recycling centers which are usually called paper mills as their production capacity can be as high as 10 – 100 ton/day.
It requires around 5 workers to run a paper recycling center with 50 kg to 75kg production capacity. In most of the scenarios, manual work is highly required during the initial stages of the process which involves sorting the scrap paper and mixing them with water and chemicals and then feeding it to the pulper and then, during the calendaring phase. Where the worker needs to precisely cut the paper into the correct size.
There is also no special requirement to have a technician for the unit. Even if there is a technical problem, you will be trained by the company service team on some minor fixes that you can do by yourself. However, if there is an issue that leads to the breakdown of machinery, most companies would send out their technician within no time.
3. Paper Recycling Manufacturing Process
There are 5 key steps involved in manufacturing of recycled paper
Step 1: Collection of Scrap Paper
This is the first step of the paper recycling process. Usually, scrap paper is purchased in large quantities from various sources such as scrap yards, scrap paper sellers, commercial areas like offices, malls, and markets, etc.,
In the collection process, one must first decide what type of scrap paper one would like to recycle. This is a very important step because not all type of scrap is suitable for paper recycling.
Especially, if you are running a small scale paper recycling plant you must focus on obtaining scrap paper that is easy to process such as newspaper, notebook paper, and kraft paper , or corrugated paper . These types of paper are not only easy to recycle but also comes at cheap price. For example, 1kg of scrap paper price ranges from 5 – 10 and 20-25 if it is a newspaper.
There are also paper materials that are hard to recycle and may not be a feasible option for recycling such as
- Plastic coated paper
- Sticky notes
- Gift wrappers
- Thermal papers
- Wax coated papers
- Milk tetra packs
Although they can be recycled it takes consumes a lot of energy and requires large-scale machinery which is very expensive and not recommended for small paper recycling plants.
Step 2: Processing of Scrap Paper
Once the recycled paper is procured from waste recyclers; it further undergoes segregation to make sure there is no debris or plastic waste or metal items like pins, nails, or staples that come during the processing of paper pulp.
This process is mostly done in manually way and requires at least two workers. After segregation of the paper is done, it will be further cut into small pieces either by manual cutting process or fed into paper shredder that finally turns the paper materials into small pieces which makes it easy for pulping process.
Step 3: Turning the Scrap paper into Pulp
The scrap papers are then fed into a machine called “Hydrapulper” or “Hydropulper” it is a high powerful agitating machine that breaks down the fibers under hot temperatures. Usually, in this step, the scrap papers are fed into a Hydropulper machine and then chemicals such as Rosin and Alum are added to improve the bonding capacity of paper
Bleaching of Pulp – is used to improve the color of the pulp; basically, it improves the brightness of the paper pulp. Chemicals like Hydrogen peroxide and Sodium dithionite are commonly used, bleaching agents.
Although, Bleaching agents were used in the paper recycling process for several years. Recent studies show that they pose environmental concerns. Hence you can see several notebook manufacturers were adapting for bleach free processing
Sizing Agents – Rosin and Alum are commonly used sizing agents; the sizing agents help water absorbency of the paper and also reduce ink bleed. They are also used to improve the writing performance and printability of the paper
General Composition for Bonding recycling paper pulp
Step 4: Making Paper Sheets from Pulp
Once the pulp is extracted it is then transferred to “Uni-Vat” it is a manually operated equipment that helps to turn the pulp into sheets. Uni-vat has a tank-like structure where it is filled with water and has a metal mesh connected to lifting rods. Once the pulp is equally spread across the metal mesh it is lifted slowly to a certain height where the water is filtered, and the pulp extract is equally spread across the sheet.
Later, the pulp is transferred to a Screw Press which applies high amount of pressure on the pulp and removes excess water content and finally giving it a sheet like shape. These paper sheets are dried for a duration and were finally subjected to “ Calendaring ” process. In Calendaring process, the paper sheets were passed through series of rollers under high pressure that compress them giving a smooth texture to the paper.
In addition to having a Uni-vat machine; one can also install “ Paper Board Making Machine ” that is used to make paper folders, paper bags and thicksheets this is mostly available in automation grade where, the machine consists of series of rollers that turns the pulp into thick sheets which are suitable for making paper bags and folders
Step 5: Turning the Paper Sheets into End Products
In the final step the paper sheets were dried and then cut into required sizes by cutting machine. These sheets were later transformed into end products like post cards, paper bags, paper file folders, phonebooks etc.,. With the use of printing machine you can even print your company name and details on these products.
Profitable Aspects of Paper Recycling Business
The paper recycling business provides a decent profit margin as a small scale business. The availability of cheap raw material and the low cost machinery adds value to this business. Although the revenue from a small scale paper recycling plant may not be a big but it can provide a decent income business.
So what are the possible strategies to increase the return on investment from the Paper recycling business?
Option 1: In the general recycled paper are generally of high thickness this paper material can also be used to make paper plates . You can purchase manual or semi automatic paper plates making machine which can cost you around 30,000 rupees. Paper plates have a good demand in the market a good quality paper plates can sell 20 – 30 per 100 pieces.
Option 2: good quality high thickness recycled paper can be used to make paper folders, paper bags, and envelops. These items come under stationery supplies. On average paper folder price starts from 5 rupees and can sell upto 10 per piece.
A part from this you can also manufacture paper bags. On average a normal quality paper bag price starts from 3 rupees and a high-quality printed paper bag can sell up to 20 per piece
There are also numerous ways you can can utilize your recycled paper, such as making grocery paper bags. They have good demand in supermarkets. 1 kg of grocery paper bags can cost upto 100 rupees
One must also not forget that marketing is the most important thing in paper recycling business. Although you might be busy figuring out the production process or running the recycling plant; You must not neglect marketing of your company and its products
Communication and connections are key factors to get success in this business. You must have good connections with stationary, novelties and general store owners because these are the areas where recycled paper products are mostly used
Please also note that there are already a good number of recycling plants located in every city and town. Getting connected to these business owners can increase your circle and can help in scaling up of your business.
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I want small scale paper recycling business ideas &machinery ideas in maharashtra india
Hello Sunil, for paper plate-making machinery you can search on the internet in sites like India mart. However, if you want to start the business; please check out with MSME in your locality
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Home » Business ideas » Green & Eco-friendly » Waste Recycling
How to Start a Paper Recycling Company – Sample Business Plan Template
Are you interested in starting a paper recycling business but you don’t know how to go about it? Do you need a sample paper recycling business plan template that you can use to raise funds from investors? If your answer to the questions above is YES, then I advice you read on .
The green movement is on. People are increasingly becoming aware of the need to protect the environment and conserve our mineral / natural resources. Few months ago, I wrote an article on how to start a recycling business . due to popular demand, I decided to follow it up with this article on how to start a paper recycling business.
In this present day of rapid technological development, businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the environment and are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact, and where possible, to also reduce their operating costs.
Starting a paper recycling business involves you having a good knowledge of where to collect the waste paper, technical and mechanical know-how on how to operate the machines used for the process and where to sell your finished goods. Now how do you go about starting this business ? I suggest you keep reading.
Starting a Paper Recycling Business – Sample Business Plan Template
1. conduct preliminary market analysis.
Market research is the first and most important task you need to accomplish for you to know if your idea is feasible. Before even considering the option of setting up a paper recycling plant, you need to ask yourself these questions:
- How will my business benefit my clients?
- Who and how many potential customers are there for me?
- What is unique about my business that would motivate buyers to patronize me?
You have to know if the companies in your location are willing to buy the products from you. Recycled paper can be used to make newspapers, paper money, egg cartons, masking tapes, cartons, tissue paper and paper grocery bags.
Most companies pride themselves in the use of recycled paper. You can check online and find out the companies in your location that manufacture all these products and approach the manager to ask if you can supply paper to them.
2. The Financial Implications of Starting a Paper Recycling Business
Starting a paper recycling business is not as expensive as you think it might be. Majority of businesses start with what they have at hand and grow gradually and steadily. The amount you would spend depends on how large your operation would be.
Equipment Needed to Run a Paper Recycling Business
To start a paper recycling company, you will need a Pulper. A Pulper is the machine used to mush old paper through the use of water and chemicals and turn it into new paper through a process of pulping, screening, cleaning, deinking and bleaching. Information for purchasing these machines can be gotten at your local environmental /waste management office.
On the other hand, you can just collect the waste paper, sort them out yourself and go drop them off at the nearest paper recycling plant and pick them up to sell to manufacturers. For this to happen, you must have discussed the terms of business with the owner of the recycling plant. This procedure is suggested as a good business move for people who are just starting up in the business.
Below are a summary of start-up costs you should expect:
- Land and buildings
- Materials and supplies
- Marketing and advertising
- Operational costs and expenses
- Personal living expenses and cash reserve.
3. Write a Business Plan for your paper recycling plant
You should have a business plan, it is very important. It helps to organize the framework of your business. A business plan will help you identify the risk, threats and rewards you will encounter in the business. Also, it will aid you in the process of raising funds for your recycling plant.
4. Do a Product Analysis
Not all papers are recyclable. And being able to differentiate the kinds of paper would add to your productivity.
Recyclable Paper
With office paper-letterhead, business forms, offset paper, scratch paper, copy-paper, colored paper, photo copies, adding machine tape, index cards, computer printout paper, standard business cards, brochures, newsletters, magazines ( glossy magazines are not acceptable ),books with stapled/sewed binding, envelopes and folders.
Non-Recyclable Paper
Adhesive removable notes, carbon paper, envelopes with plastic windows, blueprint paper, cellophane, film, spiral binders, glossy magazines, books using glue for binding, wax paper, paper cups, paper plates, napkins, tissue, paper towels and stamps.
5. Licensing Your Business
Before you start operation, you must register your business with the required authority in the area you want to operate your business. You will also need a sales permit and tax clearance permits, along with relevant permissions from the relevant environmental agencies.
6. Marketing and Advertising
For your business to survive, grow and get a constant inflow of cash, you must be aware of what is happening in your industry as well as what your competitors are up to. Which associations do you need to join and how can you take advantage of these resources?
To be successful in the recycling business, you must have a thorough understanding of the market for recyclable materials in order to adjust rapidly to changes in market conditions. Talk to people already in the business. They will have up-to-date, practical information and suggestions. Talk with people you already know and also check in with your community recycling centre. They would have contacts for you to follow up on.
7. What Kind of Program Would You Run?
How do you want to collect the paper to be recycled? Would you have the manpower to go house to house, and to business establishments to collect waste paper? Or, would you gain permission to organize drop-off points where people can drop their paper waste for you to pick-up?
Where to Get Recyclable Materials?
The source of paper recyclable materials can vary. You may decide to target your services to the general public, the commercial sector or other sources.
In addition, recreational areas, such as city parks or sports events, may also be a good source for getting waste paper. You can discover other sources of recyclable materials by identifying the consumers of your targeted recyclable materials and contacting them to discuss collection.
In conclusion , it is advisable that you summarize your business plan, and start with what you have. The paper recycling business is a profitable business in this age of being Green. The future of your business depends on your entrepreneurial skills, your competence and lots of hard work.
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- Recycling Business
How To Start Waste Paper Recycling Business In India

To start with the idea of business:
We get attracted with most of the businesses around us. However, how much of this has been treated as profitable. There surely has to be an analysis done in this regard. The best source would be to know about the business that you want to start. The first step here is to visit the field of the said ‘business’, in person, in order to collect the information. Paper recycling business in India is said to one of the businesses that take profit out of waste!
Things to be kept in mind while starting the paper recycling business:
Location of source:
Finding the location to obtain the paper for recycling has to be decided. This includes the clubs used for recreation, grounds used for sports and many such places where the usage of paper is most found. You could also get it from the shops that sell papers.
The recycling of papers would involve the process of converting the papers into items like cartons and tissues papers. However, tissues papers are not used for recycling again.
Find the source to accept the papers for recycling:
The next step is to find the paper recycling plant that does the recycling of the papers. You can have your own plant; however, if the funds are limited and it is a startup, then you can get into a contract with the people who own a plant for recycling. This is because the steps involved in the recycling of the paper, like bleaching or the process of removing the ink etc. has to be done with a lot of technique and strategy. You could start doing it if you have a dedicated and trained staff in this area!
Look out for the right funding:
There has to be the funding done based on the requirements of the business. Hence, first there has to be a business plan that needs to be built. The amount spent on the process of getting the materials from the source to the place of recycling and again from the place of the latter to the business houses where they deal with the recycling ‘concepts’ has to be calculated and kept as reserve. There always have to be a plan ‘B’ and you should be ready to face the unexpected things to happen!
For example, the driver appointed to carry the above said items to the recycling plant, is not be present on a particular day or is absconding. In such situations you could inform the respective companies beforehand that till you get another replacement they could come and collect it for an agreed price of charge for transport!
Get the team straight into the business:
Team up with the scrap pickers to provide you with the source, which is the paper. Also you could inform the people at home in the locality where you have opened up your shop about the existence of your business through flyers. It is a kind of direct of your business. This way a part of the task to create demand is accomplished!
Paper recycling business is regarded as one of the best money making business. The more organized you are in terms of the supply, the more you would earn. The transportation of the papers to the recycling plant is an important aspect in this business.
Keep a backup of the required amount whilst it would be required during the time of extra orders. You would have to rent a godown to dump the requisites of the recycling and transport the same to the destination as and when requested.
Segregation of the waste paper:
One has to remember that not all the papers can be recycled. Hence, find out which are the ones that can be recycled or otherwise. This will help you to start and complete the processes faster. Demand for paper recycling is more in India as we see that there are more than four hundred mills that are into this.
Cost of the business and the analysis can be done by entering the market. Hence, interaction with the people who are into this business helps you to learn a lot not only with the theoretical knowledge and even with the practical knowledge. The experience that is shared by the former would assist you in understanding the business to an extent.
Among all the costs involved, you should have enough working capital to run the show. So, go ahead and do it from there.
License requirement for waste paper recycling business:
The procurement of license from the prescribed legal authority in order for the smooth running of business is necessary. Once that is done you have no fear to invest in any of the future endeavors. This will also give you the confidence in preparing the model for the business.
To sum it up, paper recycling is reaching its booming heights and you can get profits for a longer period of time in this field. The dedication and hard work along with some superb analysis of the marks it existence and would create a history in the field that you are in.
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please send details of reuse of paper process details, cost of the machinery & project details etc.
I want to start new bussiness with paper recycling bulk quantity please suggestion how to start and what r must required in this business
I want to start paper recycling bussiness please send the cost of machinery and project details etc.
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Starting Waste Paper Recycling Plant – Business Plan

The paper that we use is mostly a biodegradable waste that can easily be decomposed with the passing time. In the present times there has been a huge usage of paper. Nearly everywhere we go we can easily see papers around. The usage of paper is vivid and is increasing by time. Some basic usage of paper includes newspapers, books, text copy, pamphlets, posters, magazine papers, calendars, and many more.
The world market of paper is very huge and is in billions. Paper is made using the pulp from trees. As of 2011, 398, 975 thousand tons of paper is produced every year. In this article I am sharing profitable business plan for paper recycling business. If you want to start your own paper recycling plant then read this article till the very end, you will get all information about profit margin in this business and cost of setting up a paper recycling plant.
China ranks at number one spot in the production of paper. The United States is at the second spot and Japan is at the third spot. The paper manufacturing industry is very huge and has a turnover of billion dollars every year.
How Paper is produced?
Paper is produced from the pulp of wood, fibrous plants, rice, water plants, stubbles, and other such materials. The basic material that is required to manufacture paper is fiber which is an essential part in paper making. You can get this pulp mainly from two sources. One is from wood pulp and the other is from old recycled papers. The production of papers required cutting down of tress. One tree in general produces 16.67 reams of paper whereas 12 trees produce 1 ton of paper.
Also Read:- How To Start Plastic Recycling Business – Profitable Business Plan
To produce such a huge quantity of papers millions of trees are cut down every year. The rise in cutting down of trees has led to deforestation resulting in rise of global warming. To counter this people are now focusing on recycling of paper.
Recycling Paper:
Paper recycling has been hugely adopted these days by every country in order to save the cutting down of trees. The benefit of recycling is not only that it saves cutting down of trees but also reduces and reuses paper waste that would have created a mess in the atmosphere. There is unique advantage of recycling paper as it is beneficial in many ways. To produce one A4 size paper nearly 5 liters of water is required. Recycling down of 1 ton of paper saves 26, 500 liters of water, 682.5 gallons of oil and 17 trees.
Inspired by such an effective method, the whole world has invested a huge sum of money in recycling paper waste. Earlier these recycling job was conducted by either government owned businesses or big recycling businesses but now even common man can own a paper recycling business.
Paper Recycling as a Business:
Paper recycling business is a flourishing business that is giving huge returns to its owners. There is abundant demand of recycled paper as they are cheap. If one plans down a strategy, executes it and invest a fair amount of capital then one can get a satisfying return within no time. To lay down a business plan you need to understand the basics of recycling a business, its requirements, investment, and return and so on. Here is a strategic and brief plan that can help you in your paper recycling business.
Paper Recycling Business Plan:
The plan will carry all the details of how your paper recycling business can be opened, executed and run successfully with satisfying return. Here are few things you need to care about.
- Resource Required to open a recycle plant
- cost of setting up a waste paper recycling plant
- Requirement of total capital
- Arrangement of capital
- Time investment
- Strategy for successful recycle business
- Profit margin
- Return on investment
So let us first talk about the resource required to start a paper recycling business.
Resources required to open a paper recycle plant:
Land Space and Factory:
The First basic requirement is a place where you will recycled paper. If your house allows you to setup your plant then it is okay or you need to get a decent space where you can set your factory. Depending on the scale of recycling you can own or rent that space. The minimum space should be around 250sq. feet. The space should be closed with rooms for collecting paper waste, a cleaned room for keeping the recycled paper, a place to setup machines and so on.
Requirement of Resources:
The Basic amenities are required everywhere. You need to have permanent standard power connection with stable water supply. The paper recycling plant requires huge amount of water therefore you need to have that supply. Your plant should not be that far that transportation becomes a problem because you need constant supply of waste paper for your recycle plant.
Required Official Permissions:
Since you are opening a recycle plant therefore you need to have permissions from the concerned authorities in your city. You also need to pay taxes of your space under commercial space. The next thing is registration of business followed by GST registration for payment of tax. Since you will use huge power therefore special permission should also be taken. The last one is water supply connection which you must definitely take as your water requirement will be huge.
Equipment for Recycling:
To recycle the paper you need some standard equipment like washing soap, cleaning equipment, bleaching powder, tanks, containers, machines, jets, paper printer, etc.
Paper Recycling Machine:
There are three types of machines for recycling paper. First is the small type machine that recycles 20-100 kg of paper per hour. The medium size machine recycles 75-250 kg of paper while the large machine recycles 100-500 kg of paper waste. Depending on your requirement and budget you can purchase the machine. It would be advisable to start with small machine and later on go for medium and large machine as it will help you in understanding the business supply and returns.
Waste Paper Collection:
You can network with scrap collectors, paper waste owners, dumping grounds and so on to collect waste paper.
Labor and Expert:
You need at least one person who is expert in paper recycling and with major machines and equipment. You also need few labors that will assist the main worker in the recycling job.
Other Requirements:
This includes paper packaging, place to store paper, later job of printing, labeling, transporting and so on.
Cost of setting up a recycling plant:
The cost estimation which is given below is in Indian currency and is targeting readers from India. This business plan is also valid for other countries like South Africa, Australia, USA, UK, Canada, etc. The cost of machine is nearly same everywhere and recycling process is also same.
Renting or owning of place depending on size varies from place to place which one can calculate. The better option in starting is to rent a place or use an existing place owned by you as it will reduce investment. Waste paper collection doesn’t costs much. Nearly 4-5 rupee is spent to buy 1kg of waste paper.
Purchasing equipment is costly which should best be rented on monthly basis which is easily available if you have contacts. Recycling machine is a costly thing to own which should best be owned. Start with a small machine that costs around 3-5 lakhs while the medium costs at Rs 5-10 lakhs and the large one costs Rs 10-35 lakhs.
Hiring expert technician and labor will cost you Rs 30-40 thousand per month. You can add electric charges, water charge, transportation and other expense as well. A total of at least Rs 10 lakhs is required for the first time in setting up your business. Later you have to spend at least 1-1.5 lakhs per month.
Also Read :- 20 Most Profitable Recycling Business Ideas & Opportunities
Arrangement of Capital:
You can take loan using Mudra Yojna started by the present Union Government in India. You can take Rs 10 lakh loan to start your business. Apart from this, you can also take loan from other banks. If you want to open it as a startup then you can avail 3 year benefit from taxes and charges. You can finance your business, open with partnership to ease the capital requirement.
Time Investment:
It would take at least 2 months to start your paper recycling business. From arranging land, building your factory, setting up your machines, hiring resources, experts and labors, networking with paper suppliers and sellers, transportation, required permissions and so on. You may start to get returns only after 4-6 months since the starting of your business.
Strategy to Run Successful Recycling Business:
The first thing you should keep in mind to invest a fair amount but not much in starting. Setup a small machine instead of big one. Rent most of your resources and equipment. Network with people who can supply you waste paper at low cost. Hire an expert that can help you in recycling your paper in a standard way. Create a network of sellers where you can sell your recycled paper. Try to sell it directly to big companies so that you get huge returns.
In starting you should focus on starting with small production as it will require less investment. With time you can carry forward your business based on returns. Read and understand the market of recycling paper. Contact with best suppliers and sellers so that you can purchase waste paper in less amount and sell the recycled paper in high amount.
Strategy to Earn More Money:
Recycle paper and manufacture other products like paper plates for more profits
How can you earn more money recycling paper? How can your return increase? The best way to increase your return is to make the best use of recycled paper and waste paper. Every waste paper isn’t dirty and useless.
There are certain quality of paper like textbook paper, text copy paper, and plastic coated paper in magazine that can be used to manufacture paper plates. You only need to have a paper plate manufacturing machine. Using that you can easily manufacture 1000s of plates a day which can be sold at higher cost. A standard plastic coated paper plate is sold at Rs 20-25 per 100 piece while a normal paper plate is sold at Rs 10 per 100 piece.
Apart from this, you can also manufacture paper boxes that are durable and are made from standard and little hard paper. Boxes used to store sweets can also be manufactured as they are simple to manufacture and cost less in manufacturing but give profitable returns.
Return on Investment:
Your Return of Investment will depend upon how you devised your strategy in the recycled business. The first return on investment can start after 4-6 months after the setting up of the plant.
If you have made good network then your sale will rise and so will your return. Try to manufacture standard papers so that it can be sold to standard companies that will give you fair return. If you are getting good market then you can setup larger machines to manufacture and recycle more paper. You can sell a ream of paper of A4 size easily at Rs 75-100 while selling 10, 000 paper plates can give you 1000 Rs per day.
Your return will be measured only after 1 years since the starting one year will take to build your business. You can easily earn Rs 10-15 thousand per day in your recycling business adding up your recycled products as well. All will depend on the quality, quantity of paper you manufacture and the market of sale you have.
There are a number of initial investment costs associated with starting a waste paper recycling business. These costs can include the purchase of recycling equipment, the cost of leasing or purchasing a facility, and the cost of hiring employees. The total cost of starting a waste paper recycling business will vary depending on the size and scope of the business.
A. Paper products including cereal boxes, egg cartons, paper towel rolls, and paperboard B. Recycled paper is used to make new paper products, insulation, and animal bedding. C. Recycled paper is used to make new paper products, packaging, and construction materials. D. Recycled paper is used to make new paper products, packaging, and paperboard.
There are many markets for recycled waste paper, as it can be used for a wide range of products. Some of the most common uses for recycled paper include: toilet paper, paper towels, paperboard, printing and writing paper, and boxboard.
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the amount of waste paper produced each year can vary greatly depending on factors such as population growth, economic development, and changes in paper consumption habits. However, according to a report from the Environmental Paper Network, global paper consumption has been growing by an average of 3.3% per year over the past decade, and is expected to reach 405 million tonnes by 2020. This would suggest that the amount of waste paper produced each year is also increasing, although the exact amount is difficult to estimate.
There are many ways to start a waste paper recycling business. One way is to gather used paper from businesses and organizations in your community. You can also contact companies that produce paper and ask if they have any waste paper that they would be willing to sell to you. Once you have collected a large amount of waste paper, you can then start the process of recycling it into new paper products.
There are several benefits to recycling waste paper, including: 1. Recycling paper conserves natural resources, including trees, water, and minerals. 2. It takes less energy to produce recycled paper than it does to produce paper from virgin materials. 3. Recycling paper reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 4. It creates jobs in the recycling industry. 5. Recycling paper helps to reduce waste in landfills.
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Paper Recycling Plants In India
Indian paper recycling plants directory - showing companies in India that process paper waste into new materials. 113 paper recycling plants based in India are listed below.
- Paper Plant
How to Start a Paper Recycling Business
Despite the digital revolution brought about by computers, people continue to use enormous amounts of paper. Up to 40 percent of municipal solid waste is paper, which creates a huge need for paper recycling. Recycling, after all, is the most environmentally responsible way to dispose of old paper.
Paper recycling businesses play a critical role in the recycling process. They collect unwanted paper from individuals and businesses, and then deliver it to paper recycling facilities. In turn, recycling facilities pay for the paper they’re brought.
Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .
Learn how to start your own Paper Recycling Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Start a paper recycling business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Paper Recycling Business
- Form your Paper Recycling Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Paper Recycling Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Paper Recycling Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Paper Recycling Business
- Get Paper Recycling Business Insurance
- Define your Paper Recycling Business Brand
- Create your Paper Recycling Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
There is more to starting a business than just registering it with the state. We have put together this simple guide to starting your paper recycling business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
How much can you charge customers?
What will you name your business.
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What are the costs involved in opening a paper recycling business?
The startup costs involved in opening a paper recycling are minimal. Business owners need a:
- a vehicle and/or trailer for transporting collected paper
- a scale for weighing paper
- a covered and dry area for storing paper
- a utility knife for breaking down boxes
- a small office or desk area for keeping cash and managing books
The utility knife should have extra blades stored inside it, as cardboard will quickly dull even the sharpest blades.
Business owners who have limited startup capital can begin by using their personal vehicle, although owners who drive small cars may quickly want to invest in a trailer or larger truck that can hold more paper. Many business owners use a storage shed or garage to keep paper, essentially eliminating this startup expense.
What are the ongoing expenses for a paper recycling business?
The ongoing expenses for a paper recycling business are minimal. They include fuel and vehicle maintenance costs, and any facility costs for a storage area.
Who is the target market?
While almost every person and organization has paper to recycle, the most profitable sources of paper are usually businesses.
Small offices, print shops, and retailers are especially good sources. They’re usually located close to each other, so drive time between pickup locations is reduced. Also, their paper and cardboard isn’t contaminated with food.
How does a paper recycling business make money?
Recycling facilities pay paper recycling business owners for the paper they bring to the facility. The rates paid are usually given per ton (e.g. newspaper might command $50 per ton).
While some business owners might want to charge the people and organizations that they collect paper from, this practice is generally inadvisable . Charging to take paper away frequently results in a business taking away garbage as well as recyclable paper. Not charging to take away paper makes it easier for a business to require that people and organizations properly sort recyclable paper from unwanted garbage.
The rates that paper recycling businesses collect are set by recycling facilities. For example, a facility might pay $50 per ton of newspapers, $75 per ton of cardboard and $2,120 per ton of high-grade office paper. Business owners should check their local facilities’ rates to see what they could collect.
How much profit can a paper recycling business make?
It’s possible to make good money recycling paper. Part-timers can clear $300 in a weekend, and some full-time business owners earn over $100,000 annually.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Successful paper recycling businesses can increase profits by offering secure shredding services. Many businesses pay to have documents shredded, and shredded papers are frequently high-grade office paper that can be recycled at a premium rate.
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Paper Recycling Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state's business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability .
It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
Find a Domain Now
Powered by godaddy.com, step 2: form a legal entity.
The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .
Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your paper recycling business is sued.
Form Your LLC
Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC
Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You
Two such reliable services:
You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.
Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN for free through the IRS website, via fax, or by mail. If you would like to learn more about EINs and how they can benefit your LLC, read our article, What is an EIN?.
Learn how to get an EIN in our What is an EIN guide or find your existing EIN using our EIN lookup guide.
Small Business Taxes
Depending on which business structure you choose, you might have different options for how your business will be taxed. For example, some LLCs could benefit from being taxed as an S corporation (S corp).
You can learn more about small business taxes in these guides:
- Sole Proprietorship vs LLC
- LLC vs Corporation
- LLC vs S Corp
- How to Start an S Corp
- S Corp vs C Corp
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .
Additionally, learning how to build business credit can help you get credit cards and other financing in your business's name (instead of yours), better interest rates, higher lines of credit, and more.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Open net 30 accounts
Net 30 accounts are used to establish and build business credit as well as increase business cash flow. With a net 30 account, businesses buy goods and repay the full balance within a 30-day term.
NetMany net 30 credit vendors report to the major business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business Credit). This is how businesses build business credit so they can qualify for credit cards and other lines of credit.
Recommended : Read our best net 30 vendors , guide and start building business credit.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
- Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from Divvy and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a paper recycling business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .
For information about local licenses and permits:
- Check with your town, city or county clerk’s office
- Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources .
Certificate of Occupancy
A paper recycling business is generally run out of a large recycling facility. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location :
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a paper recycling business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location :
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your paper recycling business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Learn more about General Liability Insurance .
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.
Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a paper recycling business
The best way to grow a paper recycling business is through cold calling. Knocking on doors of homeowners and businesses will eventually lead to regular sources of paper.
How to keep customers coming back
If cold calling alone isn’t effective, a business can further entice homeowners and local businesses to set aside recyclable paper by offering to pay for it. Many individuals and managers will take the extra effort required to sort paper if they’re even just a small financial incentive to do so.
(Rates paid for paper that’s picked up should be lower than those paid for paper that’s dropped off, in order to account for the additional drive time required.)
Still unsure about what kind of business you want to start? Check out the latest Small Business Trends to help inspire you.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Using our website building guides , the process will be simple and painless and shouldn’t take you any longer than 2-3 hours to complete.
Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .
Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.
Start a Paper Recycling Business in your State
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- West Virginia
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Welcome to the Startup Savant podcast , where we interview real startup founders at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey, from launch to scale.
Is this Business Right For You?
Anyone who doesn’t mind a little manual labor and working alone at times may enjoy running a paper recycling business. Moving and sorting paper involves light-to-moderate physical work, and business owners spend a lot of time doing this by themselves.
Many people who start this type of business do so as a part-time venture (at least at first). Pickup, sorting, and drop-off times can easily be scheduled around a full-time job, family responsibilities, or other obligations
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
Entrepreneurship Quiz
What happens during a typical day at a paper recycling business?
Paper recycling businesses handle literal tons of paper, so business owners spend a lot of time moving and sorting paper.
On a given day, business owners might be picking up paper, accepting deliveries of paper (see Insider Tips), sorting paper by type, or delivering paper to a recycling facility. To increase operational efficiency, business owners typically focus on one of these tasks in a single day.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful paper recycling business?
Business owners should be familiar with the different types of recyclable paper , as well as what kinds of paper aren’t recyclable.
In general, office paper, index cards, manila folders, newspapers, non-glossy magazines, non-glued books, and cardboard are recyclable. Non-recyclable papers normally include anything with plastic, glossy magazines, tissues, and paper towels. Some recycling facilities accept papers with adhesives, such as stamps and Post-It notes, but other facilities don’t have the equipment needed to remove the adhesive.
Local recycling facilities will have a list of exactly what papers they accept.
What is the growth potential for a paper recycling business?
A paper recycling business may remain a small, one-person operation, or it can grow to be a multi-state corporation. Mid-America Paper Recycling and Waste Management are two of the larger paper recyclers. Royal Oak Recycling is a mid-sized business. The smallest businesses usually don’t have websites, as they can get the business they need by driving (or even walking) around locally.
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Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor.
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a paper recycling business?
In addition to collecting paper themselves, business owners can also entice youth organizations to collect paper through fundraisers. Offering to pay church youth groups, schools, scout organizations and sports teams for any paper they collect can provide these groups with some money and give the business a reliable source of paper.
Businesses that pay youth organizations should offer to give the organizations 50 to 60 percent of what the business will recieve from a recycling facility for the paper. If a recycling facility pays $50 per ton of newspaper, a business might offer $25 per ton to a youth organization. Usually, the rate is further broken down by the pound because kids will bring in factions of a ton.
How and when to build a team
Business owners don’t need to hire employees, but doing so can help a business collect more paper. At first, business owners may want to bring on up to three workers at minimum wage. With a four-person crew, the business owner can drive a vehicle while the three workers collect paper from nearby sources.
Additional employees, including drivers, can be hired if demand and revenue grow beyond what a single four-person crew can handle.
Get more ideas with our Business Ideas Generator .
Check out our How to Start a Business page.
Sign up at the Business Center to access useful tools for your business.
Useful Links
Industry opportunities.
- Environmental Protection Agency
Real World Examples
- Paper Gator
Further Reading
- An Introduction to Paper Recycling
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Have a question leave a comment.

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The Indian recycling industry needs nearly 14 million tonnes of waste paper to meet current demands. Domestic recycling only produces 30% of that amount, and recycling levels are only half...
Informal waste collectors play as big a role in India’s recycling market as public institutions and private companies. The recycling rates remain low while the volume of waste is growing. The business prospects for the future are correspondingly high. India generates an estimated 960 million tonnes of waste a year.
Paper recycling business is a flourishing business that is giving huge returns to its owners. There is abundant demand of recycled paper as they are cheap. If one plans down a strategy, executes it and invest a fair amount of capital then one can get a satisfying return within no time.
How To Start a Paper Recycling Business – Key things to be Checked. Let us now find out the major steps that were involved in starting a paper recycling business. These steps are usually mentioned when creating a business plan or preparing a feasibility report for funding purposes. 1. Creating an Initial Business Plan for Your Paper Recycling ...
Write a Business Plan for your paper recycling plant You should have a business plan, it is very important. It helps to organize the framework of your business. A business plan will help you identify the risk, threats and rewards you will encounter in the business. Also, it will aid you in the process of raising funds for your recycling plant. 4.
Paper recycling business is regarded as one of the best money making business. The more organized you are in terms of the supply, the more you would earn. The transportation of the papers to the recycling plant is an important aspect in this business. Keep a backup of the required amount whilst it would be required during the time of extra orders.
Paper recycling business is a flourishing business that is giving huge returns to its owners. There is abundant demand of recycled paper as they are cheap. If one plans down a strategy, executes it and invest a fair amount of capital then one can get a satisfying return within no time.
Indian paper recycling plants directory - showing companies in India that process paper waste into new materials. 113 paper recycling plants based in India are listed below. Paper Plant India
Start a paper recycling business by following these 10 steps: Plan your Paper Recycling Business Form your Paper Recycling Business into a Legal Entity Register your Paper Recycling Business for Taxes Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card Set up Accounting for your Paper Recycling Business