Myths about Recycling Paper

Here at Conservatree, we are a reliable and trusted source when it comes or providing you with information about environmental and Recycled papers.

Sadly there are a lot of myths surrounding Recycled Paper and these myths have caused a lot of doubt about their contribution to the environment. We are here to debunk three of the most popular myths about recycled paper and the reality behind them.

The first myth is that it is better to focus on tree-free or chlorine-free papers rather than recycled paper. The truth is, the term "Tree-free" is a fiber source and "Chlorine-free" is just a bleaching process. In fact, recycling is necessary for environmental and raw material sustainability. That is, whether or not paper is made from trees, crops, agricultural residues, or other fibers, it requires a system to recycle it after eventual disposal. The majority of recycled paper today consists of exclusively of tree fibers. We believe that tree-free and chlorine-free fibers should be mixed with recycled content whenever so that the result is a strong foundation for more environmentally friendly papers.

Another popular myth is that it is better to burn paper for energy than to recycle it. The truth about it is that fibers in fine paper can be recycled up to a dozen times before they are too short for paper making. This means that each time they are recycled, they are helping save resources, water and energy, and reducing pollution / carbon emissions. Overall, the positive environmental impact and value of repeated recycling is much greater than the small amount of energy produced when the paper is burned instead.

Perhaps the biggest myth surrounds that idea that making recycled paper is somehow environmentally damaging. The truth is, recycled paper production actually saves trees, energy and water, produces less pollution. They even use more benign chemicals and requires less bleaching than paper production from raw materials. The only time that recycled paper creates more disposal materials is in the greater amount of sludge produced over paper making from virgin materials. The sludge produced can be scattered throughout landfills or set to fire. They are non toxic and can be very easily disposed of in a eco friendly manner.

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