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There are many clear and compelling benefits to purchasing recycled paper and yet some level of debate still exists in the marketplace about its benefits versus virgin fiber. To help you navigate this debate, we are hosting a webinar on Tuesday, March 9th at 11am PST featuring Susan Kinsella, the Executive Director of Conservatree.  Susan is an expert on environmental paper and environmentally preferable product procurement issues.  In addition, we have compiled a short list of common debate points and our responses.

Fiction: Virgin fiber comes from sustainably managed forests.

Fact: In managed forests trees are generally replanted, but replanting trees is not the same as preserving natural forests. Tree plantations are monocultures that do not provide the same wildlife habitat or support the biodiversity of natural forests. "In the U.S. South, where most of the trees used to make paper are grown, the area of natural pine forest declined from about 72 million acres in 1953 to 33 million acres in 1999. During the same period, pine plantations grew from 2 million acres to 32 million acres, and are projected to reach 54 million acres in 2040, in large part at the expense of natural forests."  Increasing the use of recycled paper helps reduce the need to convert natural forests to tree farms.

Fiction: Recycled paper uses more energy to produce than virgin fiber paper.

Fact: Recycled paper may sometimes use more purchased energy from the power grid, but this is only because virgin fiber processes can burn wood waste to generate energy on-site (a process that has similar environmental impacts to other energy sources). "Recycled paper requires less totalenergy to manufacture than virgin paper, even when factoring in energy required to collect and transport recovered paper compared to energy used to harvest and transport timber."  Compared with 100% virgin fiber paper, 100% recycled copy paper uses 44% less total energy.

Fiction: Paper has a low carbon footprint.

Fact: Globally deforestation accounts for 25% of carbon emissions caused by human activity. The decomposition of paper in landfills also produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Overall, it is estimated that compared with 100% virgin fiber copy paper, 100% recycled copy paper reduces net greenhouse gas emissions by 38%.

Fiction: Most paper is recycled already and therefore does not contribute significantly to landfills (paper is the most recycled product and recovery rate is growing).

Fact: Paper accounts for an average of 40% of landfill volume. In landfills paper decomposes and releases methane, a greenhouse gas. Recycling paper (and purchasing recycled paper) reduces the amount of waste we send to landfills and incinerators. When compared with 100% virgin fiber copy paper, 100% recycled copy paper is estimated to reduce solid waste by 49%.

Fiction: Manufacturing recycled paper requires more water.

Fact: Making paper from recycled fibers both uses less water and results in less wastewater pollution than making paper from virgin fibers. When compared with 100% virgin fiber copy paper, 100% recycled copy paper is estimated to reduce wastewater volume by 50%.