Printing on recycled paper is one way we can all be stewards of the environment. Most jobs–from business cards to presentation folders–can be printed on 100% recycled paper without seeing a reduction in quality. It’s a small change that can make a big step toward sustainable printing.
What are pre-consumer and post-consumer materials?
The majority of the raw materials US papermakers use comes from whole trees (or other plants) and scraps from sawmills. The EPA reports that over a third of the raw material comes from recycled pre-consumer and post-consumer materials. So what are they?
Pre-consumer paper fiber
Pre-consumer waste is discarded before the product reaches the consumer, such as during the manufacturing, printing, or binding process. It can include paper trimmings, test sheets, unsold items, and more.
Post-consumer paper fiber
People are usually more familiar with the post-consumer materials used and recycled in our homes, offices, and retail businesses.
What are the environmental benefits of printing on recycled paper?
- Uses fewer virgin resources
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change
- Extends fiber supply
- Contributes to carbon sequestration
- Saves landfill space
- Reduces energy consumption
- Reduces water consumption
- Decreases the need for disposal in landfills or incineration, which decreases the amount of carbon dioxide produced
What is BambooInk’s commitment to recycling and using recycled paper?
The EPA says that recycling one ton of paper would
- Save enough energy to power the average American home for six months
- Save 7,000 gallons of water
- Save 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by one metric ton of carbon equivalent (MTCE)
At BambooInk, we recycle over 10,000 pounds of paper per month, including test sheets and trimmings. Based on the EPA’s estimates, that’s 30 months of energy savings, 35,000 gallons of water, 16.5 cubic feet of landfill space saved, and 5 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions we’ve reduced this month. We’re proud of our print floor’s commitment to reduce and recycle.
In addition, the majority of our paper contains recycled content, and we provide a wide range of 100% post-consumer recycled papers for clients’ printing needs. The coffee cards we printed for Ellwood Thompson’s, featured at the top of this post, are on 100% post-consumer recycled paper from Rolland. For every ton of Rolland Enviro Print used instead of virgin paper, we save the equivalent of 17 trees, 16,399 gallons of water, 5,512 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, and 1,678 pounds of solid waste.
How much does it cost to use recycled paper?
Paper size, weight, makeup, and print run all affect cost. At BambooInk, we’re happy to discuss how you can use recycled paper in your next print job because we’re committed to making an enduring impression that’s also sustainable. Contact us to learn more or to estimate costs for printing on recycled paper.