Environmental
Paper Definitions
About Bleaching
The Paper Industry
Standards and
Environmental Logos  |
Standards
and Environmental Logos |
s more environmental papers (and other products) have come into use the Canadian Standards Organization, the U.S. EPA, as well as several independent groups, have attempted to identify and certify environmentally preferable products. While the intentions are good (we hope in all cases) the result of having many different groups each using different logos standards and even definitions to identify “green” products can be at best confusing and at worst misleading to consumers.
In the case of paper there is Canadian Eco Logo, EPA, Forest Stewardship Council, Chlorine Free Products Assn. and others who varyingly certify recycled content, bleaching method, and source of timber for non-recycled pulp, but no one looks at a complete picture or rates products based on all the environmental issues involved in their processing and marketing.
The standards developed by the government agencies for example, thus far require only 50% recycled content and do not differentiate between a paper that is 50% recycled and one that is 100% post consumer recycled fibre. Nor do they address the important question of bleaching at all. In Canada a 50% recycled, chlorine bleached paper qualifies for the governments eco logo. A 100% post consumer , chlorine free sheet gets the same designation. This reduces the value and usefulness of these logos because they make it harder for consumers and merchants to distinguish between the best environmental products and those that just do the minimum neccessary to qualify for the governments logo.
Don’t get us wrong, we think standards are an important and positive step, but at present consumers cannot rely on logos and certifications alone to guide their purchasing. The standards set by the EPA and Canadian Standard Association are not strong enough or broadly based enough to promote increased recovery and use of recycled resources or less harmful means of production.
Paper Choice continues to support and lobby for the development of stronger and clearer standards. Until that happens the only way for consumers and merchants to really be sure of what they're buying is to ask for specific info on the total recycled content, the post-consumer waste content and the bleaching method of the paper products they buy. |
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