environmental

Environmental Questions and Answers

How many trees does it take to make one tonne of paper?

This is impossible to answer accurately. The most common figure reported is 17 trees for one tonne of paper. However, other figures are also given by different sources, with for example Friends of the Earth claiming 6 mature trees.

Neither of these figures can easily be substantiated as it depends upon so many variables; the size of the tree, the tree species, the pulping method (mechanical or woodfree), type of paper etc. In addition, paper manufacture does not normally use a whole mature tree but rather thinnings (small trees removed to allow room for others to grow), smaller branches and sawmill residues that are unlikely to be suitable for other uses - and the tree would still be cut down for other uses such as timber for construction.

Paper is biodegradable in landfill, so why bother recycling?

Paper is biodegradable but in the conditions of a landfill site it can take fifty years to break down. According to the Paper Federation some five million tonnes of paper and board ends up in landfill sites every year. Recycling that paper waste instead will reduce the need for landfill, create jobs and help to ease pressure on forest resources. Buying recycled grades will help to stimulate the market for recovered fibre and recycling the paper when you’re finished will complete the cycle.

What is Greenwash?

Greenwash is a term often applied to those making unfounded or misleading claims about their environmental credentials.

For instance, making a claim that a paper is ‘environmentally friendly’ when it contains ECF pulp and 10% mill broke could be seen as greenwash. That isn’t because its environmental credentials are poor but because most papers at least meet the same standard - it would be claiming too much.

When talking about the environmental credentials of products it’s important to be specific and not to mislead in any way. Stick to the facts and try to avoid vague terms such as environmentally friendly, eco friendly or green.

Which is best, TCF or ECF bleaching?

In the past chlorine gas, or elemental chlorine, was used to bleach papers and so increase their whiteness. This caused environmental problems because chlorine is toxic and the effluent from paper mills was detrimental to aquatic life and water quality.

To overcome the problem the paper industry invested heavily in alternative methods of bleaching. Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) bleaching doesn’t use chlorine gas but instead utilises chlorine dioxide, which is much safer. Also developed was Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) bleaching which typically uses hydrogen peroxide or ozone instead of chlorine. One of the measures of the toxic effect bleaching has on effluent is the AOX level. This is expressed as kg per tonne of pulp produced, with the lower the figure the better. ECF bleaching will have an AOX level no higher than 0.5 kg/tonne and TCF will have a zero AOX level.

There has been much debate about which method is best for the environment. But many (including the European Commission) now accept that there is no significant difference between the two, assuming the mill is well managed. Of more importance is how well the effluent has been treated.

Are tree plantations bad for the environment?

There are concerns that fast growing tree plantations can be detrimental to the environment. Potential problems are that uniform stands of the same species (particularly if they are not native) provide poor habitats for wildlife, that they degrade soil and water resources and deprive local people of farmland.

However, it’s not that straightforward and the merits of a plantation have to be judged on a case-by-case basis. For example, a plantation that had replaced natural forest rich in biodiversity would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the environment. Whereas a plantation grown on land already degraded by logging or over-intensive farming can actually help to restore biodiversity.

Does papermaking cause rainforest destruction?

According to Friends of the Earth the main causes of rainforest destruction are unsustainable and illegal logging for timber and pulp, the replacement of forests by cash crops or plantations and the expansion of urban areas, roads and other construction projects.

Most of the trees found in rainforests do not provide suitable fibre for paper pulp. So, wood fibre for paper usually originates from managed forests and plantations where new trees are planted to replace those cut down. Papermaking takes offcuts, sawmill residue and thinnings (small trees removed from the forest so that others can grow) that are not suitable for other uses such as construction.

However, there have been cases where rainforest has been cleared to make way for plantations that provide fibre for papermaking. Jade does not condone this practice and, if there is any doubt, will seek reassurance that suppliers have not employed such methods.

Why should I buy recycled paper?

With the growing commitment to responsible forest management, preventing trees being cut down is becoming less of a key incentive for buying recycled paper. However, it is still true that continuing demand for recycled fibre products will relieve pressure on the world’s forest resources.

Today the main reason for buying recycled is to make good use of the waste paper that would otherwise choke landfill sites or be sent for incineration. The waste most likely to end up in landfill is that which has reached the millions of different homes and offices and, because it has become so broadly spread, is difficult to collect. Therefore it can be argued that buying paper that has a high proportion of post-consumer waste is helping the most to ease waste disposal problems.

What are ISO14001 and EMAS?

ISO14001 and EMAS are environmental management systems. They do not automatically mean that the certified organisation is performing brilliantly. However, they do mean that the organisation is aware of how it impacts on the environment and is committed to the continuous improvement of aspects like energy efficiency, waste reduction and pollution control.

Isn’t the production of recycled paper more damaging to the environment than for normal paper?

No, the production of recycled fibre pulp is, generally speaking, more environmentally benign than the production of ‘virgin fibre’ pulp that comes directly from trees. Making recycled pulp produces less air pollution and most types of emissions to water are reduced. Recycled pulp production usually requires less water and less bought-in energy.

Contrary to some beliefs, the ink is not bleached out of the fibre but is removed by soaps. So, it’s not true that the amount of bleach required is more for recycled pulp. There have been concerns about leftover waste ink and fibre ‘sludge’ but these are diminishing. In some cases this sludge is being incinerated for energy or even being made into construction products.

The actual papermaking process will be the same whether the pulp contains virgin or recycled fibre. Furthermore, the use of recycled paper reduces the need for landfill.