The importance of eco-friendly paper products
Paper products account for about 25% of all waste produced in the United States. The good news that paper is the most recycled item in the United States. In 2021, the rate of paper recycling was 68%. Still, paper products are the third most common type of material in landfills, behind food and plastic. In an age of electronic mail, billing, statements, advertising, and more, how can this be?
The answer: Single-use paper products….namely toilet paper, paper towels, and tissue.
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a report in 2019 titled ‘How Americans are Flushing Forests Down the Toilet.‘ It is a fascinating, informational, and sobering read definitely worth taking the time for.
Environmental impact of paper
- Americans make up just over 4% of the Earth’s population, yet consume 20% of the world’s tissue.
- Most of the pulp used to produce tissue products comes from Canadian forests, where 25% of the last intact boreal forests on our planet exist. These forests store 12% of the world’s carbon in the soil and vegetation, making it the most carbon dense forest on earth. Every year it is responsible for clearing carbon dioxide equivalent to the annual emissions of 24 million passenger vehicles.
- One million acres of this forest is destroyed each year, thereby decreasing carbon stores and the ability to regulate greenhouse gases and contributing to climate change. It has resulted in declines of native wildlife species and negatively impacts the way of life for the 600 communities of indigenous people’s nearby.
- Some companies are moving away from using virgin tree pulp, but the three largest companies that dominate the tissue market (Procter & Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, and Georgia-Pacific), still almost exclusively use virgin pulp in their products.
- Instead of virgin pulp, companies should turn their focus to using recycled materials for their products, or more sustainable alternative fibers, such as bamboo or wheat straw.
The NRDC creates a yearly scorecard grading the sustainability of tissue brands, and the most disappointing find for me? The Kirkland products I have been buying for years receive an F grade in all categories!
How to reduce single-use paper products
Single-use paper products have become such an integral part of our lives that we don’t even notice them anymore. At least I didn’t. But when I started paying attention, I realized how many tissues, paper towels, and toilet paper I was using every single day. Take one day to notice how much you use.
So what do we do? This can be trickier than a lot of other types of products, because these might require more significant changes than other things. Part of reducing paper use entails incorporating reusable products into our daily lives. Some things might be relatively simple, like purchasing reusable paper towels and napkins. Others might take a lot more commitment…say ditching the Kleenex for handkerchiefs, or even reusable toilet paper. One thing you can do is install a bidet to mitigate the amount of toilet paper used. I’ve got this Bio Bidet from Costco, and I also purchased this reusable toilet paper on Etsy to dry with, but really any cloth will do.
The next section discusses how to make better eco-friendlier choices on paper products, so if you’re not ready to go reusable you can still make a positive difference. The following section gives you information about eco-friendly and/or reusable options to common paper products, as well as how to responsibly recycle or dispose of them.
Choosing eco-friendly paper products
We should aim to reduce our use of paper products through making smart, sustainable purchases and buying reusable replacements as much as possible. However, I know sometimes you just need single use paper products–as much as I love the idea of a reusable paper towel, I personally don’t want to wash one I just used to clean up dog barf, or worse. And there are reusable products, i.e. toilet paper, that you might not be ready to use.
As consumers need to be taking a stand with which products we buy, discouraging the companies that continue to cause such catastrophic damage to our planet despite other technologies and resources being readily available. The best way to do this is by looking for eco-certifications on paper products, which verifies companies are adhering to strict standards.
Click here for sustainable paper products.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is the most creditable independent certifier of
responsibly managed forests. Their certification ensures that products come from responsibly managed forests that provide environmental, social and economic benefits. Of all the certifications, this is the most important.
‘100%’ means the product is made from all virgin material; ‘Mix’ products are a mixture of FSC virgin fiber and recycled materials. ‘Recycled’ indicates products are made from 100% recycled fiber.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is an alternative certification option to the FSC. The NRDC isn’t a fan, however, calling it “a far weaker system that misleads consumers into thinking their products are sustainably sourced.”
Corrugated Recycles
The Corrugated Recycles label denotes that a package can and should be recycled. Materials that have been coated or otherwise treated with substances (like wax) are not recyclable.
Recycled Paperboard Alliance
The Recycled Paperboard Alliance is a non-profit trade alliance that works with recycled paperboard manufacturers to analyze the benefits and promote the use of 100% recycled paperboard.
USDA Biobased
USDA Biobased is a label that verifies the product is third-party tested and contains verified biobased content. Biobased products are derived from plants and other renewable materials. These products provide an alternative to conventional petroleum derived products.
Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance seal means that the certified product or ingredient was produced using methods that support the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental. Independent, third-party auditors evaluate farmers against requirements in all three areas before awarding or renewing certification.
What paper products can and cannot be recycled? Learn the basics of paper recycling here.
Besides certifications, the materials used also matter greatly. According to the NRDC report, recycled paper products and those made from alternative materials are the best options.
Benefits of using recycled tissue
- They contain little to no chlorine bleach.
- Production uses half the amount of water as virgin pulp.
- Air pollution emitted decreases by half, including one-third the amount of greenhouse gas, and 40% less sulfur dioxide, which is responsible for acid rain.
- Avoids harming wildlife and indigenous peoples.
Tree-free paper alternatives
I am a big fan of all things bamboo, which has numerous environmental benefits and uses.
- Bamboo is technically a grass, and requires less land degradation than virgin wood pulp. It can grow more than 20 times faster than trees from northern forests. Some varieties can grow approximately two inches per hour, possibly reaching 60 feet in only 3 months!
- Tissue products made from bamboo release 30% percent less greenhouse gas emissions.
- The downside of bamboo: it can be pricey, sometimes almost double what you would pay for “regular” products. Learn why here.
- Other tree-free products include plant-based materials such as sugar cane fibers and cornstarch.
Go chlorine-free
Chlorine bleach is used to whiten, strengthen, and soften tissue products, but it emits large quantities of dioxins into the water and air. These chemicals do not degrade easily and build up in the food chain and can cause significant health problems. Choose chlorine-free paper products. Recycled paper typically uses far less toxic bleaching methods.