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The list below explains some of the terms commonly seen in relation to paper manufacture. It also highlights terms that can mislead.
Chlorine AOX: Absorbable Organic Halogens. This is a measure of the mass of available organic halogens (usually chlorine compounds) in a particular medium. It is a parameter used to measure water treatment effluents and is particularly used and monitored on the continent. The chlorine chemicals used to bleach fibres in the paper and pulp industry are the main sources of AOX. Smaller amounts are also formed during chlorination of drinking water, swimming pools and industrial effluents. ECF: Elemental Chlorine Free This describes the process used for whitening the paper. No chlorine gas has been used, but chlorine has nonetheless been involved. High post-consumer content recycled ECF paper is felt to be an acceptable compromise. PCF: Process Chlorine Free. Chlorine has not been used in the process. No chlorine or chlorine derivatives have been used in processing the recycled paper back into paper. It has been bleached with an oxygen-based system or not been re-bleached. This is the most environmentally attractive option around but PCF papers are hard to find. SCF: Secondarily Chlorine Free is the same as PCF. When the recycled paper was first produced bleach was probably used in its production, however it has not been used in the production of the recycled stock. TCF: Totally Chlorine Free. This sounds environmentally attractive as it means no chlorine or derivatives were used to make the paper, but, this also means that virgin fibre had to be used. It would be a backward step to avoid recycled paper in favour of TCF virgin stock. Paper Environmentally friendly: A woolly statement that could simply be referring to the fact that the card can be recycled. The card may have no real environmental pedigree. Such statements need to be supported by more factual information. Mill broke: Paper or board scrap which is discarded during the manufacturing process at the paper mill. Post-consumer waste: This is the important component of recycled paper. It is the material that has come from the recycling bins. It has been manufactured, distributed or sold to the consumer then diverted away from the rest of waste collection. The higher the post-consumer waste percentage, the better. Recycled paper: Though useful shorthand, this can be a misleading term. What is meant by recycled? People often think that recycled means that the source material has been used before. This may not be the case. See post-consumer waste. Renewable: A card is sometimes described as made from ' pulp from renewable resources'. Managed forests and tree plantations may be renewable but are not necessarily environmentally sound. As discussed in the Why recycled? section, the need for more managed forests is putting pressure on old, established forests with their important ecosystems. Sustainable forest: Another term to be treated with caution. Simply replanting the forest is not really enough. There are many complex issues. See FSC below and Renewable. Vegetable inks: Printing inks are traditionally petroleum based. Vegetable oil based inks are from a renewable source, are more biodegradable and easier to remove, an important feature for recycling. The inks used by the Green Card Company score zero points in the eco-labelling Nordic Swan system. Labelling Blue Angel Award The Award is made to a variety of products. For paper, it stipulates that it must be 100% recycled, of which 51% must be post consumer waste. Any virgin pulp must come from certified managed forests such as FSC recognised. FSC The Forest Stewardship Council is an international, non-governmental organisation established to promote responsible management of the world's forests. Its trademark indicates products which contain wood from well-managed forests independently certified in accordance with its rules. To achieve certification a forest must be managed in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. NAPM The National Association of Paper Merchants has a strict definition for recycled. Green Card Company cards are made from NAPM approved card and paper. The stock must have a minimum 75% post-consumer waste content. More information is available on the NAPM site. A similar logo is used by Eugropa, an association which represents paper merchants in 15 European countries. Its qualifying recycled content is considerably lower at 50%. Nordic Swan The Nordic Swan label is currently awarded in Scandinavia to around 60 products that meet stringent standards and is valid for three years, after which it is reviewed. It takes into account the product's impact on the environment, throughout its lifecycle. It stipulates that 15% of the wood raw material must come from certified sustainable forests. |
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