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Know your printing paper
A guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
for corporate stationery and promotional materials

Acknowledgement:
The Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) appreciates the contribution
made to the development of this Guide by many organisations. In particular, the Department
of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) wishes to thank the following for their information
on products and processes:
CPI Group
Dalton Paper
Edwards Dunlop
Focus Paper
K.W. Doggett Fine Paper
Longbottom Digital Papers
Paperlinx Printing and Publishing Papers
Raleigh Paper
Spicers Paper
NSW Office of the Printing Industries Association of Australia
Cover images courtesy of:
1. Forest NSW
2. Printing Industries Association of Australia
3. Heidelberg Australia
4. Printing Industries Association of Australia
5. Heidelberg Australia
Published by:
Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW
59–61 Goulburn Street
PO Box A290
Sydney South 1232
Ph: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard)
Ph: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests)
Ph: 1300 361 967 (national parks information and publications requests)
Fax: (02) 9995 5999
TTY: (02) 9211 4723
Email: info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.environment.nsw.gov.au
ISBN 978 1 74232 095 3
DECC 2009/88
Printed March 2009
Disclaimer:
The Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (DECC) has compiled this
document in good faith, exercising all due care and attention. The State of NSW and DECC
do not accept responsibility for inaccurate or incomplete information. Readers should seek
professional advice when applying this information to their specific circumstances.
© Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW
Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (DECC) is pleased to allow this material
to be reproduced in whole or in part, provided the meaning is unchanged and its source,
publisher and authorship are acknowledged. Reproduction for purposes other than those
given above require written permission from the Department of Environment and Climate
Change NSW.
Check the DECC website or contact suppliers for updates as paper stocks change regularly.

Introduction
The success of paper recycling and the environmental benefits that flow from it partly
depend on strong demand for recycled content paper products. Purchasing paper products
made from recycled paper completes the cycle – conserving the resources needed to make
it and avoiding the environmental impacts of waste sent to landfill.
Recycled papers have improved greatly in recent years and most now look as good and
perform as well as papers manufactured from virgin resources.
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content paper for corporate stationery
and promotional materials 2009 makes choosing recycled printing paper easier. It contains
information about the characteristics, use and availability of all recycled content papers used
for common business printing jobs. It also provides details of the paper suppliers.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (DECC) has produced this guide
with the assistance of paper manufacturers, distributors, designers and printers as well as
business and government consumers of commercially printed material. The NSW Office
of the Printing Industries Association of Australia has made many suggestions and assisted
with distribution and promotion. We greatly appreciate all the contributions and hope that
you find Know your printing paper a valuable tool for making environmentally responsible
business decisions when selecting printing paper stock.
Courtesy of Heidelberg Australia
Market demand
places more emphasis
on environmentally
preferable products.
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

Why should I use recycled paper?
A message to printers, graphic designers and their
customers
In today’s world you rarely come across anyone who is not concerned about doing what
they can to preserve our environment.
Government departments already specify that a certain amount of their printing must be on
recycled paper. Businesses themselves are looking at how to reduce their carbon footprint.
Likewise they require their supply chain providers to reduce their environmental impact.
Even as private consumers the paper you choose to print on makes a statement to others
about your conscious decision to help the environment.
Recycling waste paper into the correct bin goes only part of the way to being an
environmentally responsible print user or producer. It helps, but when you choose to use
recycled paper for your printing, you demonstrate your commitment at the beginning of the
process.
Australia has one of the highest world recycling rates for paper. Despite Australia’s good
performance, a greater demand for recycled content paper must be created to ensure
further recovery of paper from landfill, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Currently the level of recovered waste paper is far greater than the demand for recycled
paper. A major reason for this is the lack of understanding of the quality and versatility now
achievable with recycled stocks.
We need to re-balance this equation to close-the-loop so that we have a sustainable and
constantly renewable materials resource: waste paper becomes recycled new paper which
becomes waste paper … and so the cycle continues.
This Printing Industries’ (NSW ) endorsed guide shows you first hand the kind of recycled
content printing papers available in NSW and the main environmental considerations
relevant when purchasing any paper.
Know your printing paper is a valuable resource for printers and graphic designers to
demonstrate their value adding service to their customers by assisting them in making an
informed decision by choosing the correct recycled content paper for printing corporate
stationery, reports and promotional material. Know your printing paper further assists printers
involved in the Printing Industries’ Sustainable Green Print (SGP) program.
This second edition is just one of the raft of environmental initiatives championed by the
Printing Industries Association of Australia to help our industry and its customers do their
part for environmental sustainability.
Philip Andersen
Chief Executive Officer and General Manager New South Wales
Printing Industries Association of Australia
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

The purpose of this guide
Know your printing paper assists anyone thinking about using recycled content paper to print
corporate stationery and promotional materials, such as:
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It provides:
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business cards
company letterhead
annual reports
with compliments slips
corporate brochures
promotional fliers.
a comprehensive listing of recycled content papers readily available in New South
Wales suitable for corporate stationery and promotional materials
up-to-date product and performance information for the available papers
contact details for companies that supply the papers
answers to commonly asked questions
links to further information about recycled content printing papers and buying
recycled products in general.
The Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW (DECC) aims to keep all recycled
product guides up-to-date in line with market changes to make sure you are well informed
about recycled content alternatives. This guide retains much of the original information
compiled for the 2004 guide and also has additional information, new papers and changes
to existing paper products.
Know your printing paper is based on data and information obtained from manufacturers and
suppliers of the recycled printing papers. This information is subject to change as the quality
of existing products is improved and new products are developed or become available in
the Australian market. This guide is therefore unlikely to represent all grades of recycled
content printing paper available at a given time and we encourage you to investigate the
availability of new paper grades with your suppliers prior to commencing projects.
This guide is written in response to the most frequently asked questions about recycled
content printing papers and as a companion to the Know your office paper guide.
This updated second edition contains additional information about:
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environmental labels
sustainably managed forests
energy and water savings associated with recycled content paper.
It provides an overview and straightforward information about what recycled content
printing papers are available, what they are made of, where they come from and how to get
them.
Contact DECC for further information, other waste reduction resources or if you have any
updates or additional information that should be included in the next edition.
Courtesy of Heidelberg Australia
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

1
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
Courtesy of Heidelberg Australia

Contents
Section 1: Recycled content paper and the printing industry 6
The business case 6
The social and economic case 7
Environmental benefits and savings 7
Information for print managers and graphic designers 8
Section 2: Environmental impacts 9
Impacts of paper manufacture, use and disposal 9
Climate change 11
Environmental labels and certifications 13
Section 3: Recycled content paper explained 19
Paper waste streams 19
All paper waste should be recycled 21
How much recycled content should you choose? 21
What about printer warranties? 21
Section 4: Recycled content paper brands 22
Specifications of recycled content papers 22
Environmental characteristics of recycled content papers 25
Section : Contacts and further information 38
Suppliers of recycled content printing papers 38
Find out more 40
Invitation to contribute to updates of Know your printing paper 44
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

1
A wide range of high
quality recycled content
papers is now available
due to improvements in
waste recovery and paper
manufacturing processes.
If you have avoided
recycled content papers
because of reservations
about paper quality, now is
the time to reconsider your
paper needs and test the
performance of recycled
content paper.
Image courtesy of Printing Industries Association of Australia
Section 1: Recycled content paper
and the printing industry
There is an increasing demand for paper products, with printing and writing
papers showing the strongest growth.
In the 2006–07 financial year, Australians used about 1.72 million tonnes of printing and
writing paper. 2 This is equivalent to more than 40 million trees, as 1 tonne of virgin printing
paper requires the equivalent of 24 trees. 3
The printing and writing industry has grown substantially since the 2000/01 financial year,
with the annual consumption of printing and writing paper increasing by some 478,000
tonnes. 4 An increase in the market for corporate stationery and promotions using recycled
content papers would make a substantial impact on the manufacture and availability of
recycled content papers. It is estimated that in NSW about 700,000 tonnes of paper and
paper products are sent to landfill each year. A growth in the recycled content paper market
would assist in preventing much of this material from going to landfill.
The business case
Purchasing recycled content papers can have positive impact on your business performance
and efficiency by:
Attracting new clients
Printing customers are interested in services and suppliers that will provide them with
innovative options, and are increasingly attracted to those that have less impact on the
environment. By keeping up to date, you can provide information and advice about recycled
printing options to your clients.
Contributing to corporate social responsibility and improving
your green ‘image’
Using recycled content products demonstrates that you take environmental impacts in the
workplace into consideration. When you use recycled content stock and an appropriate
label, such as ‘recycled paper’, you let the public know that the environment has been a part
of your purchasing decision.
Helping meet government targets and reporting requirements
Many businesses now report on their environmental impacts and performance through
government programmes such as Greenhouse Challenge Plus, the National Greenhouse and
Energy Reporting Act and the National Packaging Covenant, while others choose to provide
annual sustainability reports. The purchase and use of recycled content papers assists in
meeting these expectations and reporting requirements.
1 www.nafi.com.au/briefings
2 Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (2007) ‘Australian Commodity Statistics 2007’
3 www.dolphinblue.com./whybuy.html#howmuch
4 Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (2007) Australian Commodity Statistics 2007’
DECC (2008) ‘Industry and DECC Paper Materials Flows Analysis 04,0 ,06,07’ (Internal Document Only)
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

The social and economic case
Buying recycled content products has a range of social and economic benefits, such as:
Increasing employment
Supporting recycling markets helps to create more jobs – both directly and indirectly. The
Australian Council of Recyclers estimated that direct industry employment by its member
companies is more than 10,000 jobs 6 and indirect employment is almost 28,000 jobs. In 2006,
the recycling industry had a turnover of $11. billion, contributing 1.2% of Australia’s GDP. 7
Improving collection and processing infrastructure
Increasing the demand for recycled content products supports the economy and diversity of
secondary markets. Recycling can result in more economic activity which leads to improved
collections and improved technology in processing infrastructure.
Environmental benefits and savings
There are many environmental benefits of recycled content paper. (Section 2 outlines the
environmental impacts of paper manufacture and the benefits of buying recycled in detail.)
They include:
Energy savings
Producing paper from recovered fibres uses up to 0% less energy than manufacturing
paper from virgin pulp 8 9 .
Water conservation
Producing paper from recovered fibres can consume up to 60% less water than
10 11
manufacturing paper from virgin pulp.
Reduced consumption of natural resources
Buying recycled content products helps to reduce pressure on natural resources.
Diversion of materials from landfill
Recycled content paper and the printing industry
Recycling and buying recycled products ensures valuable resources are not sent to landfill.
6 www.acor.org.au/whoisacor.html
7 Australian Council of Recyclers Inc, (July 2008) ‘Australian Recycling Values – a Net Benefits Study’
8 Waste and Resources Action Progamme (WRAP) (2006) ‘Environmental benefits of recycling-An international review of life
cycle comparisons for key materials in the UK recycling sector’
9 AMCOR (2002) ‘Submission to State Sustainability Strategy’
10 www.treecycle.com/info.html
11 Institute for Energy and Environmental Reseach Heidelburg (IFEU) (2006) ‘Ecological comparison of office papers in view of
fibrous raw material’
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
1
By keeping up to date
with sustainable printing
and design options, you
can provide information
and advice about
recycled printing stock
and attract new clients
who wish to demonstrate
their environmental
commitment.

1
Discuss paper stock with
your designer or printer or
ask for recycled content
paper when ordering
corporate stationery,
reports or promotional
material.
Recycled content paper and the printing industry
Greenhouse gas benefits
Paper sent to landfill is a significant contributor to methane gas, which has a global warming
potential 21 times more damaging than carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) 12 . Through diversion of paper
from landfill and less energy required in paper manufacture, recycled content paper saves
400Kg of carbon dioxide (CO 2 e) emissions per tonne of paper. 13
Information for print managers and graphic designers
Print managers and graphic designers are in a unique position to influence the environmental
impact of the design and production of corporate stationery and promotional materials.
Environmental considerations can be applied to the specifications of the project, choice of
inks, and paper stocks. The following may help reduce their environmental impact 14 :
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consider the project size – the larger the job the greater the associated
environmental impacts and the more important the decisions about what materials
and printing papers to use
determine a realistic print run – avoid waste by creating a clear distribution plan and
determining a suitable print run
check proofs online – consider checking proofs in digital imaging to avoid waste
generated by film separators, chromalin proofs or plastic coated stocks
consider the most suitable printing process – lithography, waterless, web offset and
direct imaging printing
reduce your stock weight – a lower stock weight uses less raw materials, particularly
paper fibre
use fewer colours. Avoid print bleeds (printing that goes beyond the edge of the sheet
after trimming) because waste paper requires more processing when ink is used
choose vegetable based inks (linseed or canola) or soy based inks which emit less
toxic volatile organic compounds than petroleum based inks
consider the recycled content of the paper, the type of recycled content (preconsumer
or post-consumer waste) and other factors that are discussed later in this
guide.
Steps to introducing recycled content paper to print clients
Here are some simple steps to introduce recycled content paper to your clients:
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look at the different grades of recycled content printing papers (outlined in Section 4)
determine whether recycled content stock is suitable for the customer’s needs in
terms of cost, quality and availability
consult the list of suppliers of recycled papers and boards in Section and find out
what is available from your local supplier
if recycled paper suits your clients, spread the word!
12 Department of Climate Change (2008) ‘National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors’
13 Department of Environment and Conservation NSW (200 ) ‘Benefits of Recycling’
14 www.green.net.au/srd/gppg.htm
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

Section 2: Environmental impacts
Consider the environmental impacts associated with the production, use and disposal of the
paper you choose.
Impacts of paper manufacture, use and disposal
Manufacturing paper from recovered fibres ultimately has less environmental impact than
manufacturing paper from virgin fibres.
Key environmental impacts associated with paper making include energy and water
consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, solid waste generation and wastewater emissions.
Soil degradation and deforestation, human and eco-toxicity, air emissions, noise and odours
from paper mills and issues around landfill sites also have significant impact. 1
Less energy in production
The energy requirements for the manufacture of recycled content paper are generally 0%
lower than that of virgin paper, 16 17 because much of the paper mass has already been
processed. Significant amounts of energy are used to convert wood into pulped fibres in
the manufacture of virgin paper. Once the pulp is produced, both virgin and recycled paper
manufacture require the same amount of energy for the paper making phase.
The energy required for forestry activities, the harvesting of trees and transportation to mills
can often be greater than that required to collect reused paper, sort it and transport it to
mills. 18
Less water in production
Water is used in paper manufacture to create pulp, to de-ink waste papers and as steam
for drying. The manufacture of virgin paper requires far greater volumes of water than
recycled paper due to the water intensive processes involved in boiling wood to create pulp.
Producing paper from recovered fibres consumes up to 60% less water than manufacturing
paper from virgin pulp. 19
Water saving technologies are widely used in paper manufacturing, especially in Australia
where the majority of paper mills now recycle water on site. This helps reduce the
environmental impacts of paper production, but water is a valuable resource and its use,
or over use, shouldn’t be forgotten when considering the environmental impacts of paper
manufacture. 20
1 Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control European Commission (2001) ‘Reference documentation Best available
techniques in the Pulp and Paper industry’
16 Waste and Resources Action Progamme (WRAP) (2006) ‘Environmental benefits of recycling-An international review of life
cycle comparisons for key materials in the UK recycling sector’
17 AMCOR (2002) ‘Submission to State Sustainability Strategy’
18 Wiegard (2001) ‘Quantification of Greenhouse Gases at Visy Industries using Life Cycle Assessment’
19 Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelburg (IFEU) (2006) ‘Ecological comparison of office papers in view of
fibrous raw material’
20 Department of Environment and Conservation NSW (200 ) ‘Benefits of Recycling’
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
2
Producing 1 tonne of paper
from recovered fibre saves
23.7 kilolitres of water and
18 gigajoules of energy
when compared with virgin
paper production. 20

2
Many recycled content
papers that contain some
virgin fibre now have the
proportion of virgin fibre
certified as sustainable. If
choosing recycled content
paper that contains a
portion of virgin fibre,
select one that consists of
certified virgin fibres.
Alternative paper
bleaching processes (using
peroxide and ozone) have
limited or no adverse
environmental impacts.
0
Environmental impacts
Less natural resources
Depending on the percentage composition of recycled content, fewer resources (e.g. wood
products) are used to produce recycled content paper than virgin paper. Although current
sustainable forestry practices reduce the impact on natural resources, reusing paper products
is preferable.
Sustainably managed forests
Sustainable forestry aims to enhance, maintain or restore a range of factors including
the ecological processes of the forests (e.g. water cycle), biological diversity, natural and
cultural heritage, sustainable timber supply, and economic and social development. 21
Essentially, plantation forests are managed tree farms. They are often established
on unused pastoral land and can improve the environmental quality of the land by
reducing soil erosion and salinity, improving water quality and increasing the total
carbon stored on the land. 22 New trees are planted on an ongoing basis as mature
trees are harvested. The management quality of a plantation will help determine how
sustainable it is.
Native forests intrinsically have a greater biodiversity value than plantation forests
because they have a wider variety of tree and scrub species, and typically support more
wildlife habitat due to their complex ecosystem and vegetation structure. 23 Where
native forests are replaced by plantation forests the biodiversity value will decrease
substantially. Similarly, when native forests are logged, biodiversity, soil and water
quality are significantly impacted. 24
The quality and environmental value of different forests vary, as do the management
techniques employed in forestry. Certifications such as the Programme for Endorsement
of Forest Certification Council (PEFC) and the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) (see
‘Environmental Labels and Certifications’) ensure both native and plantation forests are
managed sustainably to meet certain criteria that will lower the environmental impacts
associated with logging.
Air, land and water pollution
Pollution of air, land and water can occur through a number of stages during the paper
manufacturing process. Both recycled and virgin content papers require bleaching or deinking,
which can involve harmful chemicals. Bleaching removes the lignin content of
paper, making it lighter in colour. 2 Conventional bleaching processes use alkalis, acids,
hydrogen, sodium peroxides, oxygen, dithionite salts, sodium bisulphite, water, chlorine gas,
hypochlorite salts and chlorine dioxide. 2
The waste waters and gases from the bleaching process can contain dioxin and chlorine
compounds which are harmful to both the environment and human health (e.g damage to
vital organs). 2
21 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2003) Forest Management Working Paper
22 www.forest.nsw.gov.au/publication/forest_facts/forestry_NSW/default.asp
23 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (1998) ‘Land Use, Land-use change and Forestry’
24 www.forest.nsw.gov.au/publication/forest_facts/forestry_NSW/default.asp
2 http://library.thinkquest.org/27034/paper.html
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

Other hazardous compounds can result from the use of inks. Petroleum based inks contain
high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which pose environmental risks (such as
harm to the ozone layer) as well as health risks. VOCs can cause eye and throat irritation and
create low level smog when released into the atmosphere.
Vegetable and soy inks have reduced VOC composition and require less solvent for removal in
the recycling process, thus further reducing potential environmental harm.
Solid waste
Several stages of the paper manufacture process produce solid waste. Key areas where waste
generation can be minimised are:
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paper type and characteristics – paper coating can produce extra waste in the
pulping process. A number of printing finishes, such as laminating, the use of
synthetic glues and embellishments such as foil stampings are not conducive to the
recycling process
type and amount of ink used – de-inking requires the paper to be washed in water,
detergents and solvents. Heavily inked papers and those with petroleum based inks
require more washing and processing, thereby creating more wastewater and waste
pulp. New ultrasonic cleaners and magnetic separators are being developed to
improve de-inking processes. 26
Recycling paper into new paper ensures the efforts of pulping and bleaching are not wasted
and continue to provide environmental benefits throughout the next ‘life’ of the paper.
For information about recycling your printing paper contact one of the recycling services
listed in the Yellow Pages, visit Recycling Near You at www.recyclingnearyou.org.au, or visit
the DECC website (www.environment.gov.nsw.au) or phone (02) 8837 6000.
To find out about the types and quality of recycling services available in your area, make
enquiries at other companies nearby or ask your Building Manager.
Climate change
The sources of greenhouse emissions from the paper making process include the harvesting
of trees, transport of raw materials to the mills, paper making plants and/or wastepaper
collection, the manufacturing process and the end of life disposal. Overall, many of these
impacts relate to the individual forestry, waste collection and manufacturing processes of
different companies, whether they produce virgin paper or recycled content paper. However,
when comparing the basic energy requirements of manufacturing paper from recovered
fibre versus virgin fibre, recycled paper is generally less energy intensive.
Less greenhouse gases are emitted during the manufacture of recycled paper because less
energy is required to create the paper pulp. Also, manufacturing paper from recycled fibre:
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eliminates emissions resulting from the harvesting of trees and reduces the removal
of forests which operate as carbon sinks
eliminates the amount of CO 2 and methane produced when paper breaks down in
landfill – when paper is sent to landfill it decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen),
releasing methane (a greenhouse gas 21 times more powerful than CO 2 ).
26 www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/environment_sciences/report-32774.html
27 www.earthdesign.com.au/earth.html
Environmental impacts 2
Soy ink is an excellent
choice for recycled content
paper because it doesn’t
wick (spread) as much as
other inks. 27
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
To reduce environmental
impacts, capture all waste
paper produced and send
it for recycling, and choose
paper with recycled content.

2
Recycling 1 tonne of paper
avoids the generation of
400 kg of carbon dioxide
equivalent (CO 2 e). 29
Environmental impacts
It has been suggested that emissions associated with the collection and transport of
recovered paper for recycling eliminates benefits gained elsewhere in the recycling process.
However, there are also emissions associated with the transportation of wood products to
the mill to manufacture virgin paper. These really need to be assessed case by case.
Although virgin paper production requires much higher energy input, many pulping mills use
bio-fuels (wood waste) as an energy source, or they purchase renewable energy. Therefore,
individual brands of recycled content or virgin fibre paper may reduce the overall greenhouse
related impacts of production via the energy source used. Again, this depends on the fuel
source used at the mill and needs to be assessed case by case.
Carbon neutral paper
A carbon neutral product is one where the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
production, use and disposal of certified products or services are fully offset by abatement
activities or programs. 28 Certification programs can verify the measurement and processes
involved.
This guide only lists recycled content papers, however if a recycled content paper has a carbon
neutral label or certification, it is shown in Table 2.
Greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases are naturally present in the earth’s atmosphere and are essential to
maintaining the earth’s temperature.
The most common, among the many greenhouse gases are water vapour, carbon
dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone.
Both natural and industrial processes produce greenhouse gases. Their concentration
has varied over time, but over the past few hundred years human activity is likely to
have caused an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is thought to be
responsible for the earth’s average surface temperature increasing, which may lead to
greater variance in weather patterns or ‘climate change’. 30
Greenhouse gases vary in their ability to trap infrared radiation (heat), referred to as
‘global warming potential’ (GWP). The GWP assigned to CO 2 is 1, and the GWP of all
other greenhouse gases is calculated as a multiple of this value. 31 For example, methane
is approximately 21 times stronger as a greenhouse gas than CO 2 . 32 These values are
used to calculate carbon dioxide equivalents (CO 2 e), which allows comparison of all
greenhouse gases, taking into account their GWP.
28 www.greenhouse.gov.au/greenhousefriendly/business/certification.html
29 Department of Environment and Conservation NSW (200 ) ‘Benefits of Recycling’
30 www.climatechange.gov.au/science/faq/
31 Department of Climate Change ‘National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Guidelines’ 2008
32 Department of Climate Change ‘National Greenhouse Accounts (Factors)’ 2008
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

Environmental labels and certifications
A range of voluntary environmental labels and certifications, both in Australia and
internationally, provide consumers with valuable information when making purchasing
decisions.
The labels relate to the environmental claims made, and are grouped by the International
Organisation for Standardisation 33 :
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Type I labels 34 – are multi criteria based, third party certified environmental labelling
programmes that compare products in the same category across their life cycle. The
criteria are set by an independent body and monitored through an auditing process,
e.g. Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Type II labels 3 –are self declared environmental claims made by the manufacturer,
distributor or importer. They are not independently verified nor do they use pre-set
criteria. Common terms used for self declared environmental claims include ‘recycled
content’, ‘degradable’ and ‘compostable’. The recycled content claims described in
this document are considered Type II declarations and closely follow the standards
described by Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand.
Type III labels 36 – provide quantified information regarding the environmental aspects
of products and services based on life cycle impacts 37 , and are primarily used in
business to business communications.
Companies and other organisations can also implement environment management systems
to evaluate, improve and report on their environmental performance, and these systems can
be applied to the manufacture of paper and paper mills.
A range of labels (Type I) and certifications are described below. Some recycled content
papers and the mills from which they are produced carry these labels and/or certifications, as
described in Table 2 (pages 33-37).
The following environmental labels apply to some of the products listed in Table 2. They refer
to the recycled content claims, the virgin fibre source or a broader range of environmental
criteria in the manufacture of the product.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) promotes responsible forest management through its
international standards 38 , its certification system and its product labelling system. Papers can
carry one of three types of FSC labels on their packaging to indicate compliance of the fibre
with FSC standards (including recycled content).
FSC product labels can only be applied by organisations that have been certified as complying
with FSC standards. There are two types of FSC certificates:
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Forest Management (FM) Certificate – which requires an inspection by the forest
management unit to check that practices comply with the internationally agreed FSC
33 www.iso.org/iso/home.htm
34 AS/NZS ISO 14024
3 AS/NZS ISO 14021
36 AS/NZS 1402
37 www.gednet.org/?page_id=2
38 www.fscaustralia.org/ (Last accessed 10/06/2008)
39 www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/81 763
Environmental impacts
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
2
The Australian Competition
and Consumer Commission
(ACCC) has recently
published guidelines
about the increasing
use of environmental
claims by businesses. The
guidelines aim to: educate
businesses about their
obligations under the
Trade Practices Act 1974;
to improve accuracy and
usefulness of labelling for
consumers; and to prevent
misleading, unsupportable
environmental claims from
being made 39 . See Section 5
for more information.

2
Environmental impacts
c 1996 FSC A.C.
Figure 1: FSC Recycled label
Figure 2: The Blue Angel label
NORDIC ECOLABEL
Figure 3: Nordic Swan label
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Principles of Responsible Forest Management. Certified forest operations can claim
the forest products they produce come from a responsibly managed forest. However,
before a certified forest operation can sell products as FSC certified, it must also
obtain chain of custody (COC) certification
Chain of Custody (COC) Certificate – provides verification of the supply chain from
the forest to the consumer, including all stages of processing, transformation,
manufacturing and distribution. Operations that have been independently verified
for FSC COC certification are eligible to label their products with the FSC trademark.
Where forest management does not yet meet the standards of the FSC – but does meet five
criteria of avoiding serious social and economic impacts – it is known as ‘Controlled Wood’ that
can be used in FSC ‘Mixed Sources’ products. Claims of controlled wood must be verified at
the wood source.
The FSC has produced three paper products labels which identify those products that
have been manufactured in compliance with FSC standards and support responsible forest
40 41
management.
■
■
■
FSC 100% label – identifies products that come from forests certified as complying
with the environmental and social standards of the FSC
FSC Mixed Sources label – identifies that wood for the products may be from a mix of
FSC certified forests, FSC controlled sources and/or recycled material. These products
support the development of responsible forest management worldwide
FSC Recycled label (Figure 1) – identifies products that support reuse of forest
resources and only use 100% FSC defined post-consumer recovered fibre in a product.
The Blue Angel label
The German Blue Angel label (Figure 2) highlights products and services that are made and
delivered according to strict environmental guidelines and high standards of health, safety
and functionality. This certification helps consumers choose products that are environmentally
sustainable. It is one of the world’s first environmental accreditation programmes and is
internationally recognised. 42
The Blue Angel label is awarded to recycled content papers that consist of 100% recovered
fibres, and which minimise chemicals and additives in pulp and paper production.
The Nordic Swan label
The Nordic Swan label (Figure 3) can be applied to environmental criteria of 60 product
groups, highlighting those products that are a good environmental choice. The Nordic
Swan checks that products fulfil certain criteria through testing samples at independent
laboratories, certificates and control visits. It was introduced in 1989 with the purpose of
being the common, impartial, official environmental label for the Nordic region. 43
Criteria for Nordic Swan labelling of paper products include forestry management, emissions,
energy, chemicals and waste in pulp and paper manufacturing.
40 www.scscertified.com/forestry/fsclabels.html
41 pers. comm. FSC Australia (14/07/2008)
42 www.blauer-engel.de
43 www.svanen.nu
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

The National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM)
The National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM), in the United Kingdom (UK), awards
the Recycled Paper Mark (Figure 4) to paper and board manufactured from a minimum
of 0% genuine recovered fibre, no part of which should contain mill produced waste.
This label aims to provide consumers with confidence in the recycled content claims of a
product. 44
The Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification Council
(PEFC)
The Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) – which originated in Europe
– is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation, which promotes sustainably
managed forests through independent third-party certification. It provides an international
framework for national forest certification systems. 4
The Australian Forest Certification Scheme (AFCS) 46 is endorsed by the PEFC and aims to
provide consumers with an independent, internationally recognised third-party certification
scheme for forest management in Australia. It is managed by Australian Forestry Standard
Limited (Figure ), which is a member of the PEFC Council. The key elements of the AFCS
are The Australian Forestry Standard (AS 4708—2007) for forest management and the COC
Standard (AS 4707—2006) to track forest and wood products through the supply chain.
Both the PEFC and AFCS aim to provide an assurance mechanism to purchasers of wood and
paper products that they are promoting the sustainable management of forests. In terms of
papers with a recycled content, the PEFC label (Figure 6) applies to the certified mix of virgin
fibres and recycled material exceeding 70%.
The European Union Ecolabel (the ‘Flower’)
The European Union (EU) Ecolabel Flower is a voluntary scheme designed to encourage
businesses to market products and services that have less impact on the environment, and
to make it easier for consumers to identify these products.
Printing papers awarded with the ‘Flower’ logo (Figure 7) have been assessed on multiple
criteria and guarantees 47 that the manufacturing process has:
■
■
■
■
■
reduced air emissions of sulphur and greenhouse gases
decreased water pollution by reducing emissions of chlorine compounds and
organic waste
reduced energy consumption
reduced use of hazardous chemicals
used recycled fibres or virgin fibres from sustainably managed forests.
The Ecolabel is used throughout the EU and aims to promote sustainable consumption and
production. 48
44 www.napm.org.uk/recycled_mark.htm
4 www.pefc.org/internet/html/
46 www.forestrystandard.org.au/default.asp
47 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/pdf/marketing/brochures/en/copying_paper.pdf
48 http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/index_en.htm
Environmental impacts
Figure 4: NAPM label
AFS/01-10-01
Figure 5: AFS logo
PEFC/21-1-1
Figure 6: PEFC label
Figure 7: The EU Ecolabel
– the ‘Flower’
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
2

2
Environmental impacts
Figure 8: Green Seal logo
Green Seal
Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organisation, based in the United States (US),
dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace. Green Seal
identifies papers that are environmentally preferable and provides third-party corroboration
of environmental claims. 49
The Green Seal label can be used for both products and product and service providers
through science based environmental certification standards. The aim is to promote
environmentally responsible production, purchasing and products. 0
When Green Seal papers and envelopes are either manufactured with a minimum of 30%
post-consumer waste or manufactured without chlorine or chlorine derivatives 1 , they are
certified to the organisations’ GS-7 Printing and Writing Paper Standard, and carry the Green
Seal logo (Figure 8).
Eco-Mark
The Eco-Mark program is a Japanese environmental label program modelled after the
German Blue Angel label 2 . Eco-Mark is managed in accordance with International Standards
for Environmental Labelling (ISO 14020 and ISO 14024). 3
Printing papers that carry the Eco-Mark label meet the following criteria 4 :
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
■
they contain greater than 70% recycled fibre
virgin fibres are sourced from sustainably managed forests
limited white pigments are used (less than 30g per square metre)
limited brightening agents (less than 70%) and minimised whitening agents are used
any dyes and pigments used are azo radical free (that is, free of damaging
compounds)
chlorine gas is not used in the pulp bleaching process
manufacturing processes reduce or prevent air pollution, water contamination, noise,
odour and use of hazardous substances
product packaging is designed to reduce resource consumption and facilitate
recycling.
Paper Profile
Paper Profile is a voluntary environmental product declaration scheme developed and
provided by leading paper producers. It helps consumers make well informed choices by
providing figures on essential environmental parameters in a uniformed way for specific
products . Paper Profile is primarily used by European paper manufacturers and paper
information is usually available on manufacturers’ websites.
Paper Profile does not appear as a label on a paper product but provides information about
the product.
49 www.thepapermillstore.com/pages.php?pageid=1002
0 www.greenseal.org/about/faq.cfm
1 www.greenseal.org/certification/standards/printing_writing-paper_GS_07.pdf
2 http://infomancie.wordpress.com/2007/12/10/the-japanese-make-an-eloquent-eco-mark/
3 www.ecomark.jp/english/syoukai.html
4 http://www.ecomark.jp/english/pdf/107eC24.pdf
www.paperprofile.com
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is an international standard for an environmental management system (EMS).
Paper making mills can be certified to ISO 14001 if they meet all its specifications for an
EMS. Certification of a mill with ISO 14001 provides evidence of environmentally sustainable
management. 6
AS/NZS ISO 14001 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for an EMS and is identical
to the international standard. Within Australia and New Zealand, AS/NZS ISO 14001 may be
used as evidence a mill meets all the standard specifications.
ISO 14001 refers to the overarching environmental management of a mill and is not a forest
certification scheme or product based certification.
Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
The EU’s Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is used to communicate key
environmental information using third-party verified EMAS reports. The EMAS uses the
ISO 14001 as its management system, but adds several ‘pillars’ to the requirements of the
international standard. The EMAS logo (Figure 9) symbolises the manufacturer’s commitment
to continuous improvement and can only be used after the manufacturer conducts an
environmental review, establishes an effective EMS, carries out an environmental audit and
provides a statement of environmental performance. 7
The EMAS logo can only be applied to organisations in the EU or European Economic Area.
It refers to their overarching environmental management and is not a forest certification
scheme or product based certification. 8
The paper product carries the EMAS label which applies to the mill where the paper is
manufactured.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program is a comprehensive system of principles,
objectives and performance measures developed by professional foresters, conservationists
and scientists that combine the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the longterm
protection of wildlife, plants, soil and water quality. 9 It was originally designed as a
code of conduct for the forest products industry in the US and has now become one of the
world’s largest sustainable forestry and certification programs.
There are two main label categories used by the SFI:
. Percent certified content labels – there are two labels under this category
applicable to recycled paper products: ‘100% recovered fibre’ and ‘% recovered fibre
claim’ (Figure 10).
. Fibre sourcing labels – SFI program participants who successfully achieve
certification to the SFI standard, and manufacturers who purchase at least twothirds
of their materials for a product or product line from certified SFI program
participants may qualify to use a fibre sourcing label.
6 www.iso.org
7 www.emas.org.uk/
8 www.forestsforever.org.uk/sustainability/management/emas.asp
9 www.sfiprogram.org
Environmental impacts 2
Figure 9: EMAS logo
Figure 10: Sustainable Forestry
Initiative label
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper

2
Environmental impacts
Marketplace. 61
VISUAL Figure 11: Green-e logo STYLE GUIDE
Green-e (Certified Renewable Energy)
GREENHOUSE FRIENDLY
CONSUMER LOGO
Figure 12: Greenhouse
Friendly logo
Green-e is a independent certification and verification program for renewable energy and
greenhouse gas emission reductions in the US. 60
Businesses, organisations, and events that purchase or generate a qualifying amount
of Green-e certified renewable energy (usually 100%, although the percentage of
renewable energy a company is required to purchase in order to use the Green-e logo is
dependant on their annual energy consumption) can license the Green-e logo (Figure 11)
for communication materials, advertising, and on-product packaging through Green-e
Greenhouse Friendly
Greenhouse Friendly is an Australian Government initiative. It aims to help meet the
challenge of climate change by:
■
■
■
providing businesses and consumers with the opportunity to sell and purchase
greenhouse neutral products and services
broadening the basis for investment in greenhouse gas abatement
engaging business and consumers on climate change issues. 62
As part of the Greenhouse Friendly program, greenhouse gas emissions associated with the
production, use and disposal of certified products or services are measured by a life cycle
analysis and then emissions are fully offset by approved Greenhouse Friendly abatement
projects.
60 www.green-e.org/about.shtml
61 pers.. comm. Jeff Swenerton Centre for Resource Solutions (23/08/2008)
62 www.climatechange.gov.au/greenhousefriendly/publications/pubs/fs-overview.pdf
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
G R

Section 3: Recycled content paper
explained
Recycled content paper includes a proportion of recovered fibres along with moisture,
binders and pigments/fillers (e.g. clay) which determine the characteristics of the paper such
as opacity, weight and texture.
Paper waste streams
The three types of paper waste are pre- and post-consumer materials 63 and mill broke.
Pre-consumer material
Pre-consumer material is diverted from the waste stream during the manufacturing process.
In the case of fibre used to manufacture printing paper, sources of pre-consumer waste are
generally companies such as printers and paper converters. Pre-consumer material does not
include re-utilisation of materials such as rework, regrind or scrap, generated in a process
that can be reused within the same process. These companies produce paper waste from
some of the following activities:
■
■
■
■
■
■
envelope and paper packaging manufacture
paper sack converting
printed stationery manufacture
printing paper converting – offcuts and trimmings
Tetra Pak, carton and drinking cup manufacture
printed products manufacture – offcuts and trimmings.
The paper sourced from these companies is generally high quality, provides a regular supply
and if it was not collected for use in new paper products would otherwise be sent to landfill.
Post-consumer material
Post-consumer material can no longer be used for its intended purpose and is generated by
households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of
the product. This includes returns of material from the distribution chain.
Post-consumer waste is collected from sources like households, offices and schools and
much of this material is mixed paper grades, which may include newspapers, office paper,
magazines and cardboard packaging.
63 AS/NZS ISO 14021:2000 Environmental Labels and Declarations – Self-declared Environmental Claims (Type II
Environmental Labelling)
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
3

3
0
Recycled content paper explained
Figure 13: Movement of paper
through the distribution chain,
and waste and recycling
system
Mill broke
Disposal Post-consumer waste Pre-consumer waste
Mill broke
5. Collection and Processing
Collectors, sorters, processors, waste management centres
Resource recovery
1. Primary paper
production
Resource loss
Pulp mill, paper mill,
de-inking plant,
wastepaper mill,
paper machines
2. Secondary paper
production
Paper converters (printers,
envelopes, cigarette packets),
offset printers, publishers,
manufacturers, fillers
and brand owners
3. Distribution
Wholesalers, retailers,
importers and exporters of
commodities and goods
4. Consumption
Municipal, commercial,
industrial, households,
offices, institutions
The third type of waste, which is sometimes confused with pre-consumer waste, is material
that can be reused by the company that creates the waste. For example, mill broke is the
paper waste generated by the mill in the production of printing paper. Mill broke is not
classed as recycled fibre because it is seen as good business practice to reuse it.
Figure 13 provides a visual representation of the three paper waste streams and the
movement of wastepaper through distribution back to the mill.
It is important to have an understanding of the origin of the recycled content in paper
because it may influence your purchasing decisions. Australian and New Zealand definitions
of pre- and post-consumer materials may differ from international ones. Therefore, when
comparing international and Australian products make sure that definitions are given the
same meaning.
The products listed in this guide have been described according to the definitions of the
pre- and post-consumer waste specified in the Australian and New Zealand standards AS/
NZS ISO 14021:2000.
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
6. Disposal
Landfill, sewer

All paper waste should be recycled
Any waste paper resources recovered for recycling reduce the amount of virgin material
(trees) needed to produce new paper and cardboard products.
Whether the source of recycled fibre is from printers’ off-cuts, office waste or household
recycling collections, it should be captured and recycled.
Some believe that ‘materials collected for recycling just go to landfill, so why bother?’, this
perception is incorrect. The considerable infrastructure in the recycling industry ensures that all
recyclables collected are sorted and reprocessed. In fact, paper is recycled into a number of
products, one of which is printing paper.
Buying and using recycled content paper is just one step in the recycling process. Sorting
and collecting high quality paper to provide stock for recycling is another. It’s important for
everyone to dispose of paper into the correct bins because paper contaminated during the
collection process may not be suitable for recycling.
How much recycled content should you choose?
Some say that choosing a paper that isn’t manufactured from 100% recycled fibre (e.g. 0%
or 80% recycled fibre) is not truly supporting recycled products. There are, however, physical
limits to the extent paper can be recycled. Paper fibres can only be recycled five or six times,
because they become damaged during the recycling process – they shrink and break and
eventually aren’t strong enough to form paper.
Fibres that are too short for paper production can be removed during the manufacturing
process. Any fibres that are too short will be filtered out and discarded, therefore fibre length
and paper quality is maintained.
When purchasing a paper it’s important to find a balance between your environmental
preferences and your requirements in terms of both reliability and quality of the final print.
What about printer warranties?
In the past few years, the quality of recycled content printing paper has improved dramatically.
However there is still a lingering perception that its quality isn’t as good as papers made
from new fibre and that it can potentially harm printing machinery or equipment.
We consulted printing equipment manufacturers who were positive and supportive of
good quality recycled content paper, provided the paper meets the specifications for the
machinery. They understand that, like all paper products, there is variation in the quality
of different brands of recycled paper and each brand should be treated individually. Many
company representatives see the importance of implementing sound environmental
practices and the need to make a commitment to sustainability.
Recycled content paper explained 3
Know your printing paper: a guide to purchasing recycled content printing paper
Choose the paper with the
highest recycled material
content which suits your
purpose – in many cases
this will be a 100% recycled
content product. See Tables
1 and 2 for specifications
about the papers included
in this guide.
Equipment manufacturers
say that good quality
recycled content papers are
satisfactory as long as they
meet the specifications for
the machines in which they
will be used.