Household Separation of Wastepaper: FPL Employee Survey.

Wood fiber products constitute a large proportion of the total weight of municipal refuse, ranging from 40 to 55 percent. This represents a significant loss of our valuable wood resource, and when wastepaper is disposed of improperly, it contributes to pollution of our environment. The main goal of the study was to obtain information on the quantity and grade of paper products being discarded from households. In the study, daily per person paper discards in household trash averaged 0.53 pound. Discards were 47 percent newspapers, 13 percent magazines, 12 percent strong papers, and 28 percent all other paper items mixed. Much more knowledge is needed of the motivation of individuals to participate in household trash separation plans. The volunteer group in this study had no difficulty separating easily identified items such as newspapers and magazines. Difficulty was experienced in identifying items in the strong paper and mixed paper grades and in distinguishing between paper and nonpaper items in the mixed grade.