Put a premium on recycled papers
By Robert Canzano
These days green seems to be a buzzword almost everywhere, however, a few common misperceptions and questions about sustainable papers persist and make it rather difficult for some print shops to decide which ones to use. This is unfortunate, given that the printing industry is among the largest consumers of paper. When armed with the right information, our industry can become a real agent of change.

Among the questions and misperceptions are: Won’t the recycled content of a paper affect printability? What are third-party certifications? Why should I care about them? The fact is premium uncoated recycled papers instill the same confidence that comes with using any other premium papers. They not only offer an element of prestige and a range of textures and color choices, but they also perform just like other premium sheets in virtually every application.

All environmentally responsible papers are not the same
Printers generally agree using recycled papers is the right thing to do. It helps conserve resources such as trees, water and energy, and helps limit the production of greenhouse gases. Then why aren’t more printers using sustainable papers? Several years ago, the decision to use recycled papers was much tougher, however, the recycled papers of yesterday are not the same recycled papers of today. The papers often suffered problems with dirt and plastics, which resulted in pick-outs. The surface of recycled papers was also rougher then, requiring that more ink be used. Another criticism was that recycled papers were limp and didn’t feel right or run well on press. Larger particles of ink and other contaminants that detract from appearance and performance may still be a problem in lower quality recycled papers. For example, ink disintegration can impart a grayish cast to the paper.

When made well, today’s recycled papers can print beautifully. Paper manufacturers such as Neenah Paper are keeping pace with customer demand and technological advances. In fact, some are leading the way and are making premium recycled papers that perform like virgin sheets and at a competitive price. Due to improved screening and cleaning processes, dirt and plastic levels are much lower now, so low that it is difficult to tell the paper is recycled by looking at it. There’s virtually no difference in formation or feel between virgin and premium recycled papers. The printing surface is smooth and problems with pick-outs have almost been completely eliminated.

Premium recycled papers also offer excellent opacity. Make sure the recycled paper you choose has a high brightness for outstanding appearance and print performance. Recycled sheets are available with high brightness of 95–98 brightness, even in 100 percent post-consumer fiber offerings.

According to a 1998 study conducted by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, recycled papers that contain 30 percent post-consumer content performed equally well as virgin sheets. The study examined a number of areas, including reliability, image quality, toner fixability, smoothness, curl and others. That officially debunked the myths of lower quality and poor performance from recycled papers.

Specifically, premium recycled papers perform like virgin sheets in press room applications of binding, collating, die cuts, embossing, foils, laser and ink jet printers, metallic, vegetable inks or other inks, PMS colors, scoring and folding, stitching, thermography, trimming and varnishing. It is always advisable to run a trial if you’re unsure of how a recycled paper will perform.

All environmentally responsible paper companies are not the same
Any company can put a logo or symbol on its papers to suggest they are environmentally responsible. For example, the recycled logo is in the free domain and there are no restrictions on its use. So how do printers know when a logo is really worth the paper it’s printed on? What if a paper supplier is talking the talk but not walking the walk? That is where third-party certifications — such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), PCF (Processed Chlorine Free), TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) and green-e — come into the picture. Third-party certification is a review process conducted by an unbiased and fully independent organization to verify high environmental standards are being met. It offers a credible way of assuring
customers that their paper supplier has met rigorous standards.

Clients will look to you for guidance. So you should help educate them about environmentally sound papers. Perhaps you can offer a “good-better-best” scenario, depending on the client’s needs. For example, you could run a trial of the project printed using 30 percent post-consumer fiber papers, alternative fiber papers or 100
percent post-consumer fiber papers.

Choosing the right paper and paper supplier means making the wise choice to express your commitment to the environment. Here are some tips for doing so:

First, listen to the clients and determine what they want from an environmentally responsible paper.

• Do they want a 100 percent recycled paper? Papers in this category are assured to be recycled and contain anywhere from 10 to 50 percent post-
  consumer fiber. The higher the post-consumer content the better. The presidential Executive Order for uncoated papers requires that text and cover papers contain no less than 30 percent post-consumer content.
• Would they prefer FSC certified papers? The Forest Stewardship Council has established internationally recognized standards for ensuring that forests are well managed. To receive this accreditation, paper must contain a minimum of 17.5 percent FSC-certified content or contain 100 percent post-consumer fiber.
• Or would they rather use tree-free papers? Papers made with alternative fiber — or crop residues — such as cotton, sugar cane bagasse, hemp, linen and flax, often do not contain any new trees. Instead they are made from a combination of renewable fibers, and post and pre-consumer materials.
• What about ‘chlorine-free’ (TCF/PCF) papers? The Chlorine Free Products Association (CFPA) is an independent accreditation-setting organization, the focus of which is to promote sustainable manufacturing practices, educate consumers on alternatives, and develop world markets for sustainable produced third-party certified products and services. CFPA audits require a chain of custody for all raw materials; measure carbon gas releases, water and energy use, and the overall impact of a manufacturing process on the environment; allow no chlorine based chemistry; look at environmental
  policy and permit compliance; and review ethical management practices and compliance, financial performance, product stewardship, public information, funding of research and development, and employee recognition. Once the audit is complete, CFPA provides a “Sustainability Index” ranking (a scale of 1,350 points).

“One of the key benefits of the auditing process is a comparison of raw, fresh water use,” says Archie Beaton, executive director of the Chlorine Free Products Association. “Some paper companies use as much as 40,000 gallons of fresh water for every one ton of paper produced. When producing PCF-certified papers, mills can reuse that water up to 10 times. But when companies use chlorine chemistry, they cannot reuse the water because the chlorine is so caustic it corrodes the metal equipment in the mill.

“Mills we have certified, such as Neenah Paper, use less than 3,000 gallons of water per ton of product,” Beaton said. “Don’t buy paper that is flushing our fresh water down the drain needlessly.”

• What about papers made using 100 percent post-consumer fiber? This alternative offers the most environmental savings in terms of trees, water, greenhouse gases and energy. Papers made from 100 percent post-consumer fibers can also be made without chlorine.
• What about papers made using renewable energy? Green-e is the nation’s leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy products. Green-e-certified papers are made with renewable sources, such as wind power, solar power, hydropower and biomass. These sources are less harmful to the environment than fossil fuels.

Make sure your paper supplier has a wide selection of offerings from which you can choose. In addition, there are plenty of recycled colors, finishes and weights that meet or exceed almost all environmental requirements. The colors range from whites to bright, vivid colors to an intense black, a color that was formerly a challenge to achieve in a recycled sheet.

Choose a supplier who demonstrates excellent environmental performance. Forward-thinking paper companies continually seek new ways to improve the environmental profiles of their customers and themselves. You can find a wealth of information about companies’ environmental practices from their Web sites. Or, you can contact an authorized sales representative, and inquire about the company’s commitment to the environment and its selection of recycled papers. Here are some questions to ask:

• Does the company actively pursue third-party certifications to ensure its products meet the highest environmental standards?
• Does the company offer TCF/PCF ‘chlorine free’ certified papers?
• Is the company using renewable energy to lessen the impact to the environment?
• Do the company’s recycled papers meet the federal procurement guidelines?
• What does the company do to exceed federal guidelines? Are there other practices the company engages in to show its commitment to the environment? For example, does it recycle wastewater sludge?
• What if I want to special order certain weights, colors or finishes? Could I do that?

Conclusion
Now being environmentally responsible can be easily accomplished while using papers that not only perform as well as other sheets, but also are economically priced and are available in a variety of colors.

There are a variety of considerations to keep in mind when selecting environmentally responsible paper. Remember, however, that preserving the balance of our
ecology requires a commitment from everyone. Choosing environmentally responsible papers is an effective way to conserve resources, minimize waste and protect our environment. And you do have many choices.

About the author: Robert Canzano is senior vice president of sales at Acme Printing Company in Wilmington, Mass. Founded in 1930, Acme Printing Co. is a Forest Services Council-certified commercial printing facility. It has won numerous awards for excellence in printing and counts among its clients Fortune 500 companies, leading advertising agencies and graphic designers. Acme Printing is also a member of the MATLET Group, a certified Minority Business Enterprise.