There are a number of common perceptions surrounding the integrity of recycled paper. The most common question that gets asked is - does it actually save energy to recycle and purchase recycled paper?

Post-consumer recycled papers contain fibres from papers that have been reclaimed from the waste stream after their intended use is over. Paper manufactured from office paper that has been recovered from the waste stream as part of a recycling program is an example of paper with post-consumer content.

Pre-consumer recycled papers are papers made from fibres that are recovered and recaptured before reaching the customer. Mill broke papers from pulp and paper mills, and trim wastes are examples. Traditionally these pre-consumer scraps have been recycled because there is a financial advantage to not wasting excess paper.

The strongest argument for paper production from post-consumer content is that over the entire life-cycle of the product, one tonne of recycled paper results in:

• 64% less energy (3000 - 4000 KWh electricity ie enough for an average 3 bedroom house for 1 year)
• 50% less water (at least 30000 litres of water)
• Up to 95% less air pollution.
• Averts the felling of 17 trees

Other environmental issues to consider are:

• Water consumed by new plantation forests that is not flowing to public water supply
• Habitat destruction
• Loss of biodiversity
• Loss of public amenity
• Cost of weed eradication in felled areas
• Erosion, water-cycle etc.
• Minimising landfill
• Utilising a valuable resource

It has to be noted that plantation forests will always be necessary to replenish the paper stock as paper can only be recycled up to 7 times as the fibres shorten and lose their binding strength. Increased recycled paper recovery results in minimising the need for transition wood sources while large papermills await the maturation of their plantations.