Turning to Recycling Copy Paper: The Ultimate ‘Green’ Choice

Admit it. You’d struggle without paper. Whether it is printing, copying, note-taking or even scribbling a reminder on a Post-It, you need the most taken-for-granted material around.

In fact, there is so much around the typical office, that recycling copy paper has become a key practice for any self-respecting ‘Green’ Office.

Recycling waste paper is admirable, but the sad truth is that any demand for paper creates a drain on forests.

Use of Paper vs Numbers Left

In Australia alone, statistics show that the demand for virgin pulp (non-recycled material for paper, straight from the trees) has been rising, from just over 12 million metres cubed in 1999 to around 19 million in 2008 .

The consumption of paper products, whether for writing or packaging or printing purposes, has also increased steadily.

In 1999, some 2.5 million tonnes of paper and paper products were consumed, with that figure rising to about 3.25 million tonnes a decade later .

So, What is the Answer?

Well, as The Wilderness Society, one of Australia’s best-known environmental groups, has advised, “buying 100% recycled post-consumer waste paper is the best way to minimise the impacts of your paper consumption”. Makes perfect sense to us!

Setting up a recycling point in your office is a good step to take, but opting for recycled copy paper, printing paper and writing paper is a sterling place to start from. Thankfully, you have no shortage of options when to comes to in this regard. The only real question is which brands are best, and where to get them.

We’ve put together a comparison chart for you to peruse, so you can find the supplier closest to you, and the paper that you need (our thanks to ‘The Wilderness Society’ for the info!).

Recycled Paper Brands and Sources

* PCF – Process Chlorine Free-Bleaching
**OfficeMax is accredited by Greenpeace (Germany), Blue-Angel, Nordic Swan.

The good news is that Australians are already pretty good at recycling our household and office waste. Estimates have claimed that 1.6 million tonnes of waste paper is collected each year, with most of this going into making recycled paper products. In fact, it is estimated that less than 10% of the rubbish in Australian landfills are paper products.

But, in 2005, it was estimated that just a meagre 11% of waste office paper was being recycled. So, every little extra effort helps, and by keeping 100% recycled post-consumer copy paper in office cabinets, the drain on our forests is lessened considerably.

Sources:

1. Recycled Copy Paper’, The Wilderness Society – http://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/forests/paper
2. Ten Years of Recycling: The Good the Bad and the Ugly’, Plant Ark (2005) – http://recyclingnearyou.com.au/documents/05nrw_gbugly_report-1.pdf

Notes:

Leading Brands & Suppliers

Evolve
100% recycled post-consumer waste. Photocopy white & coloured A4, A3. Contact Evolve Office for high volume printing and copying, and Evolve Business for use in colour copiers. PCF (process chlorine free bleaching). Made in France.

Suppliers:

• SCRAP (Australia wide) 02 9825 1062
• ecocern (02 9337 2737)
• Going Solar (03 9348 1000)
• CPI (03 9239 3600)

Vision – Pure White
100% recycled post-consumer waste. White A4 and A3, recommended for black and white double or single sided photocopiers and printers. Also Vision Magic Colours, 10 tints available. PCF. Made in Germany.

Suppliers:

• OfficeMax Australia (03 9518 5600)
• Special Equipment (02 9609 2300 [NSW]; 07 3348 2266 [QLD])

Fuji Xerox Recycled Pure+
100% recycled post-consumer waste. Photocopy white, A4, A3. Other colours available. PCF.

Suppliers:

• Fuji Xerox 13 14 11

OfficeMax
100% Recycled Copy Paper. 100% recycled post-consumer waste. Photocopy white, A4, A3, A5. Accredited by: Greenpeace (Germany), Blue-Angel, Nordic Swan.

Suppliers:

• OfficeMax 1300 MYDESK (1300 693 375)

Ecocern
100% post-consumer recycled paper scrap. Available in A1, A3 and A4. Envelopes and paper bags also. Made in Australia.

Supplier:

• Ecocern (02 9337 2737)

Continuous Towel from Alsco

Alsco Continuous Towels dry the hands quicker than alternatives which means a better clean and less chance of cross contamination of bacteria. At Alsco, we understand that when it comes to drying your hands, nothing surpasses the comfort and absorbency of cloth toweling. In fact international research has shown that a majority of people prefer to dry their hands using cloth towels in preference to paper alternatives.

This small but significant part of Alsco’s fully managed Continuous Towel is the key to protecting our Trees. Grab yours now! Call Alsco.

Image courtesy: John Lambert Pearson