Sustainability 101

Paper and ink have been around for centuries, but sustainable printing is still new and quickly evolving. To formulate policy or simply make smart choices, you need to consider the information and available options. On the following pages you’ll find a glossary which defines terminology used in paper conservation, certification and printing.

paper conservation

Sustainable printing concerns have added to the professional vocabulary describing paper, pulp processing and source fibers.

agricultural by-product

Fibrous materials discarded from agricultural production, including cereal straws and cornstalks, to be treated as waste. Diverting them for other uses turns the waste stream into a resource.

broke

By-products of paper production that never leave the mill, including trimmings, shavings and imperfect paper. Not counted as recycled or recovered material; it is returned to the production process as source fiber.

coated paper

Contains up to 50% non-paper material, usually a polished clay surface coating added for print characteristics such as photo rendition or tonal contrast. Because of its low fiber yield, not all recycling facilities accept coated papers. New formulations of uncoated papers are performing applications formerly reserved for coated stocks.

cotton linters

Short fibers remaining in the cotton ginning process after longer fibers have been removed. As a by-product of the textile industry, cotton linters are considered recycled fibers under Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines.

de-inked pre-consumer waste

Printed paper de-inked for reuse before reaching consumers for initial use. Includes printer waste, press overruns and unsold publications.

de-inking

The removal of applied inks, finishes, glues and other substances added to papers in the printing process. Not all de-inking facilities can process all kinds of paper. In addition, contaminants such as plastic membranes in window envelopes, glues and non-paper labels make de-inking more difficult—or, at high content levels, infeasible.

non-wood or tree-free (plant fiber)

Fiber sources other than wood, including hemp, kenaf and bamboo. Also includes agricultural by-products such as sugarcane and cotton linters.

post-consumer waste (PCW)

Paper products that have already been used by the consumer which are collected from local and office recycling programs. These include office paper, computer printouts, newspapers, magazines, telephone books and corrugated containers, which are de-inked and processed to produce new paper.

pre-consumer waste

Material collected from paper manufacturers, printers and converters before reaching end users. Includes mill converting scraps, pre-consumer de-inked material and pulp substitutes.

recycled paper

EPA guidelines for recycled paper call for uncoated paper to contain a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste and coated paper to contain a minimum of 10% post-consumer waste. Guidelines also specify post-consumer content for other forms of paper, including newsprint, corrugated packaging and tissue. No agency authorization is required for designating paper as “recycled.” Content is generally expressed as a ratio, as in the following example: 100/30PCW (100% recycled content, of which 30% is post-consumer waste).

sustainably harvested virgin fiber

Trees and non-wood fibers cultivated as renewable sources of virgin fiber, reducing the need to destroy old-growth forests for paper production.

uncoated paper

Produced without surface coatings or other chemical additives. (See coated paper.)

virgin fiber

Source fiber not previously used to manufacture paper or other products.

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