The New Quest for Paper
By Amanda Bucha
The world of recycled paper can be a confusing place.
From Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper to paper with 100% recycled
post consumer content, it can be difficult to determine which one is truly the most
environmentally friendly. The following information should help anyone on a venture
into this uncharted territory.
Recycled paper comes in a variety of forms, so it’s
important to familiarize yourself with the available options. Having this knowledge
will allow you to make an informed decision and to select the paper that meets your
environmental goals.
Paper companies will often refer to the content of
recycled or reprocessed materials that were used to make the paper. This content
is typically measured
as a percentage of the total weight of the paper. There are
two types of content -- Post-Consumer content and Pre-consumer
content.
Post-consumer content paper contains
materials that were once consumer items. These various items served their purpose
and are then changed into post-consumer recycled fibers. For example, the paper
you throw into the recycle bin will later be used to make post-consumer recycled
paper.
In contrast, Pre-consumer content
paper is made up of the scraps that were left over when the paper was being made.
This type of material never became a consumer item, but it wasn’t discarded either.
Instead, it was used to make new paper. For example, the leftover pulp that is used
to make paper at a paper mill, is picked up off the floor and turned into pre-consumer
content paper.
When looking at the content of recycled materials,
it’s important to look at the percentage. This will usually appear near the recycled
paper symbol. The higher the percentage, the more eco-friendly the paper will be.
If your goal is to attain the most environmentally friendly of the two, then most
agree that your choice should be “post-consumer” paper with 100% recycled content.
When you see the Forest Stewardship Council Certified (FSC) logo
on paper materials, this means that the paper comes from forests that
have been
managed responsibly and in an environmentally conscious way. In order to become
certified, these forests must be managed in accordance to strict rules enforced
by the FSC. However, it’s important not to assume that this paper is recycled. For
example, FSC papers can contain 0% recycled content. The message that the FSC logo
sends to the consumer is that the forests and environment are not being harmed by
the paper making process. Much of the FSC certified paper that is available does contain recycled content. Again, if the goal is to attain the most environmentally
friendly paper, then the FSC paper with the highest recycled content is the best
FSC paper.
Finally, more and more paper products are coming from
non-tree sources. For example, cotton, hemp, and agricultural waste
are being used with more frequency. If you are concerned about the loss of trees
in paper production, then purchasing paper made from non-tree
sources will be an
important consideration.
The most eco-friendly paper will contain 100% post-consumer
recycled content. If you are using paper that is FSC certified, make sure that at
least 50% of the content is coming from post consumer recycled sources.
To conclude, the best thing you can do to reduce your
impact is to follow three simple steps. First, reduce the amount of paper you are
using by implementing double sided copying policies, creating a paperless workflow
by using email or using fax programs that are combined with email accounts, and
encourage employees to cut down on unnecessary paper usage. Second, recycle the
paper you do use. Finally, use the most environmentally friendly paper you can find.
Hopefully these guidelines will help you on your quest
in the “new paper era”.
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