Paper: Certified Recycled

The average American uses an astonishing 730 pounds of paper product a year. Unfortunately, a scant 5 percent of our national paper consumption is currently made from recycled pulp, according to Conservatree, a nonprofit organization. But there have been recent encouraging shifts among our nation's biggest office supply and service stores. Notably, in 2002, Staples announced that it would reduce sales of paper made of wood from endangered forests by 50 percent and increase the amount of post-consumer waste (PCW) recycled products in the paper it sells to 30, up from less than 10 percent. Following suit, in spring 2003, Kinko's announced a long-term goal of 30 percent PCW, with its 2003 goal set at 19 percent, a 5 percent increase.

When shopping for recycled paper, look for the following labels:

Post-consumer waste or PCW means that the product's pulp was made from paper once used by consumers; 100 percent PCW is most desirable, but rare. No independent certifier regulates its use. Rather, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has drafted definitions of this term (see www.ftc.gov/bcp/grnrule/guides92.htm#G5).

Green Seal Certified is awarded by a nonprofit that rigorously evaluates paper production with standards set for PCW content as well as inking, bleaching and other processes. See products at www.greenseal.org.

Recycled refers to pulp made from pre-consumer (scraps left over from the papermaking process) as well as post-consumer content. This term is also regulated by the FTC, although Consumers Union finds the label only somewhat meaningful.

Processed chlorine-free or PCF indicates that no dioxin-releasing chlorinated compounds were used to bleach the product. Additionally, the PCF-labeled product must be 30 percent PCW. Less desirable is "Totally chlorine-free," or TCF, which is made from virgin fiber. This label is regulated by the Chlorine Free Products Association (www.chlorinefreeproducts.org).

Tree-free means that the paper was made from kenaf, hemp, bamboo, agricultural refuse, old blue jeans or other non-tree fibers. Although use of this term is currently unregulated, these pretty papers are useful in a pinch or for special occasions. However, in order to use up recycled-paper pulp, PCW is always preferred.

Best Paper Choices

Ampad's Envirotech paper products are 100 percent recycled/100 percent PCW and include multipurpose white paper ($39.90 per 10-pack case, 400 sheets per pack, or $4.48 per individual pack) and No. 10 size white envelopes ($2.45 for 50; www.officedepot.com; 800-GODEPOT).

Support Staples' green efforts: the retailer now sells recycled copy paper, manilla envelopes, legal pads and sticky notes, including the Earthwise 100 percent recycled/30 percent PCW file folders ($14.49 for 100 at www.staples.com; 800-3STAPLE).

Dolphin Blue sells holiday cards printed with soy ink on paper made from 50 percent PCW recycled and 50 percent recovered cotton ($64.36 for a box of 32; www.dolphinblue.com; 800-932-7715). Dolphin Blue also offers a service to individuals and small businesses in which letterhead and envelopes, bearing your logo or other information, can be printed onto a variety of environmental papers.

Ecosource offers beautiful tree-free wrapping paper made from 40 percent flax, 40 percent hemp, 20 percent recovered cotton ($1.40 per sheet, minimum of 20; www.islandnet.com/~ecodette/ecosource.htm; 800-665-6944).