Recycled vs virgin – or both?

The debate on recycled papers versus virgin fibres can generate opposing and strongly-held views, where one side will look to extoll the virtues of one over the other in a game of eco-one-upmanship. In a changing market, both sides of the debate may need to soften their stances to create a more singular message - that both types of paper are environmentally responsible.

Recycled papers are made from ‘postconsumer waste’, which is a fibre that has been previously harvested and converted into fine paper; this very statement indicates that it could not exist without a source of virgin material to begin the process.

The grade of fibre needed to do this would preclude items such as coffee cups and food containers, as recycled papers require fibre that is of suitable quality, and not contaminated in any way. The obvious benefit of recycling is minimising the risk of resources being lost to landfills; recycling allows the fibre to be put through this process several times before its effective life is over - but recycled pulp also has some advantages. When it comes to the consumption of energy in paper manufacture, the necessary production processes require fewer resources as paper as a resource is, of course, biodegradable and will break down naturally in the soil.

For recycled paper to be in plentiful supply there must be enough de-inked pulp (DIP) to meet the demand, and this is where a broader lens is required when assessing the respective merits of the two products. There are some indications that DIP is in short supply, which could strain the availability of recycled papers, and this is where virgin fibre is required to assist in making up the shortfall.

Sustainable wood fibre procured from wellmanaged forests should be viewed as a crop, in the same way a farmer views their fields. The timelines are, of course, different; however, the principle is the same with a cycle of planting, nurturing and harvesting. During this cycle the forest is preserved, creating sustainable resources for manufacturing and habitats for flora and fauna to flourish. In addition to the benefit of carbon capture, these are the many attributes of a well-managed forest.

In order to support this, and to ensure that consumers know that they are making sound environmental choices irrespective of the fibre source they choose, there are well-established certifications such as the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification and the Forest Stewardship Council, which are both well-respected and clear indications that the product in question is sourced from a sustainably-managed forest. We are also seeing newer accreditations appearing on ream wrappers, such as the EU Ecolabel which guarantees a low environmental impact in paper manufacture and, more recently, the ‘cradle-to-cradle’ certification which assesses products that can contribute to a circular economy by measuring their impact across several key criteria.

The message to consumers is that both virgin and recycled fibre sources are wellmanaged, sustainable, resources that are complimentary to each other, not at odds with each other; we should not overlook one without appreciating the merits of the other.