White!So white!

I think most of you have found that why the paper around us so white. Actually not only the paper, tissue , toilet paper, bouncing baby nappies are also very white. They all may be undergo a bleaching process so that they all can bring white purity for us.

Chemical used in Bleaching Paper

In order to get paper products the right kind of white, chlorine is used as the bleaching agent. A bleach is a chemical that removes colors or whitens, often through oxidation. During bleaching process, some byproducts are realeased to the environment which are chlorinated compounds, dioxins and furans.
Research has shown that these chemicals not only persist in the general environment but will also bio accumulate with time. They have been found in growing numbers in lakes, rivers, animals and in our bodies where they are thought to contribute to the development of cancers, reproductive abnormalities, birth defects and other health problems.
However, improvements in technology have either eliminated the use of elemental chlorine through Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) technology or reduced the amount of chlorinated compounds released into the environment. Elemental Chlorine Free technology use chlorine dioxide instead of chlorine. Chlorine dioxide is today, acknowledged to be the best bleaching agent. In paper making, the changes from molecular chlorine gas to chlorine dioxide, a seemingly small change on the molecular level results but actually it is impact a lot to the envirnmental. ClO2 is an unstable gas with moderate solubility in water. It is usually generated in an aqueous solution and used immediately because it decomposes and is explosive in higher concentrations. It is produced by reacting sodium chlorate with a reducing agent like sulfur dioxide.
2 NaClO3 + H2SO4 + SO2 → 2 ClO2 + 2 NaHSO4



Keep in mind:

When you are going to use a paper product, consider its cost to the environment and to the health of future generations. Ask yourself whether you really need to use it or whether there is a more sustainable alternative. Let start to make some changes to protect our earth:

• do not print unless you really need to


• reduce using paper cups, kitchen towel, napkins, and other products which are not needed


• buy unbleached paper products wherever possible


• buy chlorine-free paper products


• always re-cycle paper and do not send to landfill