Method of recycling image-deposited recording material, and recording material for use with the recycling method

A method of recycling an image-bearing recording material comprising a surface portion, at least part of which comprises a paper layer comprising cellulose fibers and bearing thereon images formed by a thermofusible or thermosoftening ink, comprising the steps of:

• causing said image-bearing surface portion of said recording material to hold a water-containing image removal acceleration liquid thereon, and
• causing said images to adhere to an image releasing member with the application of heat and/or pressure to said images, thereby peeling said images away from said surface portion, with said surface portion of said recording material having a contact angle (cos.theta.) in the range of -0.6 to 0.8 when a liquid with a surface tension of 40 mN/m is placed dropwise on said surface portion of said recording material, and
• wherein said surface portion of said recording material comprises a sizing agent having a contact angle (cos.theta.) of -0.6 to 0.8 when a liquid with a surface tension of 40 mN/m is placed dropwise on a film prepared by drying said sizing agent.