Printing With Recycled Paper

Most people consider printing with recycled paper to be the best option because it is considered eco-friendly. In recent years, more and more people have begun to take part in the “green movement,” and as a result, recycled paper is in much more demand now than it was in the past. In general, printing with recycled paper is probably the best option, but there are still pros and cons to almost everything.

Reasons to Consider Printing With Recycled Paper

• Using recycled paper truly does mean saving trees
• When paper is recycled, it doesn’t wind up in our already-overflowing landfills
• It takes less energy to create recycled paper
• Recycled paper manufacture does not put as much pollution in the air as paper made from virgin trees

Possible Disadvantages of Using Recycled Paper

• Recycled paper tends to cost more to make
• Recycled paper is usually more expensive for people to buy in stores
• Paper can only be recycled five times, and then it must be discarded
• Recycled paper doesn’t usually look as white and clean as paper that didn’t come from recycled materials

Even though there are some disadvantages to using recycled paper, most people agree that these are 100 percent offset by the benefits. If more and more people start using recycled paper, more trees will be saved, and the prices of recycled paper may come down in stores. It’s also important to note that the reason non-recycled paper looks so white and clean is likely because it was bleached with chlorine. Chlorine is a toxic substance that is dangerous to have in our atmosphere. Choosing non-bleached recycled paper is safer not only for the health of our planet, but also for the health of the human race.

Types of Recycled Paper

There are two different types of recycled paper: Pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled paper. Recycled paper that is pre-consumer comes from paper mill scraps. When paper that is recycled is labeled post-consumer, it came from a paper product that a consumer recycled. Both types are a good option, although many people believe that printing with post-consumer recycled paper is the most eco-friendly.

It is important to keep in mind that there are some types of recycled paper that are bleached to appear whiter. People who are very concerned about toxic chemicals in the environment should make a special effort to seek out those products which have not been bleached. Many companies that sell recycled printing paper are now placing labels on the products to inform consumers of this information, so making a good decision regarding what type of paper to buy tends to be much easier because of this.