Choosing a Paper Baler for Paper Recycling
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Over the past year, supply chain disruptions have become increasingly common—and now, media reports suggest a potential global shortage of paper and paper products may be on the way, driven by sustained high demand. With paper becoming more valuable, it’s more important than ever to prioritize recycling this material using a paper baler.
Paper—ranging from junk mail to newspapers—makes up a significant portion of municipal solid waste, accounting for about 33% of the total. It is also one of the most commonly recovered materials, thanks to widespread recycling access. According to the EPA, recycling just one ton of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, and 463 gallons of oil.
Paper is composed of fibers, and those with longer fibers—such as office paper—tend to hold greater value. Each time paper is recycled, its fibers become shorter. However, even paper with shorter fibers can still be transformed into new products like newspaper or toilet paper. After being recycled roughly five to seven times—sometimes described as lasting "seven generations"—the fibers become too short to be recycled again and must be blended with virgin fibers to create new paper.
After paper has been sorted and compacted into bales using a paper recycling machine, the bales are stored temporarily before being transported to a paper mill. Upon arrival at the mill, the bales are broken apart, shredded, and processed into large paper rolls, which are later used to manufacture new paper products.
Not every baler is suited for processing paper. Harmony Enterprises takes pride in offering a diverse range of solutions tailored to various business needs, including paper recycling machines.
Below is a selection of our vertical and horizontal balers that are well-suited for paper recycling:
M30STD – A compact down stroke baler designed for paper and other recyclables. It produces bales measuring 24″ x 30″ x ≤ 25″ and requires an overall operating height of just 88″.
M30HD – A heavy-duty 30″ down stroke baler with a minimal footprint. It creates bales of 24″ x 30″ x ≤ 30″, features a 17″ x 29″ feed opening, and delivers an impressive ram force of 41,350 lb.
M42HD – A portable, heavy-duty down stroke baler. It offers a larger bale size of 22″ x 42″ x ≤ 30″ while maintaining the same powerful ram force as the M30HD.
M60MD – A manual, medium-sized low-profile baler built for heavy-duty use, yet designed to fit under standard ceiling heights. It produces bales of 30″ x 60″ x ≤ 30″ and includes a 24″ x 60″ feed opening.
Horizontal Balers Ideal For Paper Recycling
Harmony manufactures three models of horizontal balers, all suitable as high volume paper balers.
HM-60 Closed Door Horizontal Baler – The HM-60 is equipped with intelligent bale management and shear blade correction technology, enabling users to continuously feed the auto-cycling baler using a range of tipper or hopper configurations.
HM-A160 Open End Auto Tie Baler – Designed for recyclers handling large volumes of corrugated cardboard, cartons, tissue, newspaper, and other paper products, the HM-A160 features a five-wire electric automatic tying system that allows for uninterrupted baling without operational pauses.
HM-2R185 Two Ram Horizontal Baler – This robust heavy-duty horizontal baler includes an oversized feed hopper and is compatible with gravity, pneumatic, or belt conveyor systems. Thanks to its integrated shear, materials can be processed without the need for preconditioning.