Paper that Erases Itself After 24 Hours Debuts at WIRED NextFest

Xerox debuted an innovation that might just save paper from becoming a relic of less than eco-friendly times at WIRED NextFest, which is taking place in Chicago until October 12th.  It’s paper that self-erases within 24 hours, and can be re-used again and again. Studies have shown that 40% of paper gets discarded on the day it was produced, and despite the availability of new technology and tips for using less paper in the office, most companies still use paper at an astounding rate.

From Treehugger:

The catch is that you can’t just use regular ink for it to work. You need a certain type of light:

The “a-ha” moment came from developing compounds that change color when they absorb a certain wavelength of light but then will gradually disappear. In its present version, the paper self-erases in about 16-24 hours and can be used multiple times.

You can also erase the page faster by exposing it to heat.

The scientists at PARC (the place that invented the laser printer) are working on a new type of printer that could print with the right type of light.

It’s still a research project, so it won’t be for sale for a while still.  A Treehugger commenter also points out the waste that would be produced when thousands of companies switched over to the new special printers required. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.  We need to start thinking this way, in terms of reducing waste and preserving resources.

Link [Treehugger]

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