Environmentally-friendly paper

Is “Recycled Paper” the only environmentally-friendly paper? Not only~

Recycled paper is made out of waste paper instead of newly cut timber. It reduces the need for deforestation and helps protect the environment . It is commonly believed that only recycled paper is environmentally-friendly , but in fact , there are various kinds of environmentally-friendly paper . Examples include “Chlorine-Free Paper” and “Certified Paper” . Have you ever used such paper? How much do you know about these papers?

Recycled paper is re-made from the fibers of waste paper . For every tonne of recycled paper made , 100 tonnes of water , 600 kWhr of electricity and 300kg of chemical materials are saved . Furthermore , pressure on exploiting primary forest can be reduced.

“Chlorine-Free Paper” bleaches pulp using non-chlorine compounds , to replace the chlorine bleaching process in traditional paper making. The process of bleaching with chlorine produces carcinogenic substances , if ingested , will seriously affect the human body’s immune system and interfere with hormone secretions. By using the chlorine free technique , such harmful substances can be reduced. However , when choosing this kind of paper , one should aware whether the paper is made of primary timber or collected waste paper.

“Certified Paper” signifies paper made of fibers that come from certified forests which are under stringent control and management with regard to the speed of deforestation , hence achieving sustainable use of the forests . “FSC Certified Paper”, on the other hand , is made out of certified timber that comes from forests certified by the only international certifying institute – The Forest Stewardship Council. Some of the “FSC Certified Paper” Contains recycled fibers. Consumers while choosing such paper are at the same time supporting the paper recycled industry.

Generally , environmentally-friendly paper costs more than ordinary paper. Therefore these papers are usually less competitive in market. We can , however , make our decision by comparing the short-term economic benefit of buying ordinary paper with the long-term enormous loss that comes with deforestation .

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