Greening Graphic Design - The Graphic Design: Reference and Specification - page 163

Preconsumer waste refers to scraps and ends from the manufacturing process, as well
as test sheets and overruns from printers that are collected and remanufactured into
new paper.
Postconsumer waste refers to material that has reached the consumer, been used, and
then collected to make new product. It is postconsumer waste that people commonly
think of when they want recycled paper. However, preconsumer waste is reported to com-
prise 20 percent of the reclaimed content used in paper today. Copy paper often has
some percentage (usually 10 to 30 percent) of recycled content, and unless otherwise
specified, this labeling may simply indicate that mill waste is being fed back into the
manufacturing process. While preconsumer waste is an important indication that mills
are being efficient, it is vital that companies properly label products so consumers under-
stand where reclaimed content comes from.
De-Inking
Generally paper can only be recycled up to six times. However, some countries' regula-
tions and use of special inks have increased the number of times fiber can be used to
nine. To achieve the bright white paper used for most printing projects, ink, adhesives,
and other contaminants must be removed. As reclaimed material goes through the de-
inking process, the natural wood fibers begin to break down and eventually only lower
grades can be made from these shorter, weaker fibers. The exceptions are newsprint
and cardboard, both of which can be produced with lower-quality reclaimed material that
doesn't necessarily need to be de-inked. Even when reclaimed material does have to be
whitened, it is usually done with hydrogen peroxide, which is considered to be much less
harmful than the bleaching done with a chlorine derivative.
One of the main environmental concerns associated with the recycling process is sludge
that consists of leftover materials from the de-inking process. Though some mills repro-
cess sludge for use as fertilizer, the practice is controversial because sludge and the
resulting fertilizer often contain the heavy metals from ink. Since reclaimed material may
have been printed before environmental regulations took effect, even materials that are
banned for use today can show up in sludge. The safe collection and disposal of de-
inking waste is an important environmental concern. However when paper is de-inked,
any toxic elements found from sludge are less likely to contaminate groundwater supplies
than if waste paper was sent directly to landfills.
pa p e r f ro m m i x e d s o u r c e s
Since recycling results in the degradation of wood fibers, adding some percentage of
virgin fiber to reclaimed material can prolong the use of weakened fibers. It is common
to find environmentally friendly paper that is derived from mixed sources. To accommo-
date this trend, the FSC has created a certification for paper that uses some percentage
of recycled content combined with virgin pulp from sustainably managed forests. One
hundred percent postconsumer recycled paper may have a cost premium associated with