Value of alkaline papers for recycling

The major portion of the paper made in the United States is acid and, as a consequence, has a severely shortened useful life. This not only causes a great deal of difficulty for librarians and archivists, but also gives the paper industry a more brittle fiber for recycling. Paper at both acid and alkaline pH values was subjected to accelerated aging and recycled. Folding endurance of the acid paper dropped rapidly, and the low values were reproduced in the reclaim sheet. The alkaline sheet retained its fold well as did the sheet produced from it.