The Truth About Office Paper & Forests

by AF&PA
January 2001

ForestEthics, formerly the Coastal Rainforest Coalition, is organizing a boycott of the office products retail leader, Staples, Inc. It should come as no surprise that ForestEthics is manipulating the truth about office products and their impact on forests. Here follows a closer examination of this organization’s claims.

FORESTETHICS’ CLAIM
"Every day we are losing more of our forests to the production of paper products."

"…many of these products – office paper…are used once and then thrown away."

"Pulp mills consume more than 12,000 square miles of forest each year."

"…less than 1% of the total pulp produced is manufactured from nonwood, tree free alternatives."

"Paper comprises from 40 to 50 percent of the trash in typical landfills"

THE TRUTH
* - Despite demand for paper products, which increases every year, there are more forests in the United States today than there were 50 years ago.

* - Americans recycle paper products at a higher level than any other material. 48% of paper consumed in this country is recovered and recycled to make new products.

* - The U.S. forest products industry and private landowners reforest more than 14,000 square miles of forest annually. Forestlands in the United States grow more than 30 percent more wood each year than is harvested.

* - Paper made from cotton fiber is readily available. Other proposed alternatives, such as kenaf and hemp, are not grown in sufficient quantities in the United States to meet our demand for paper products. Existing forests would need to be eliminated to make way for enough land to grow these alternative crops.

* - According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paper comprises 31 percent of landfills. In 2000, Americans recovered 49.4 million tons of paper, or 48% of all paper consumed in the U.S. That represents an increase of nearly 6% over 1999.

FORESTETHICS’ DEMANDS ON STAPLES

"Immediately phase out all…products made from fiber from U.S. public lands."

"Set a target of 50% post consumer content for all paper product..."

"Immediately phase out all products… [made from] 100% virgin fiber."

"Paper made from agricultural fiber should be made available in all stores or other points of sale."

"Educate all employees, customers, and suppliers on the benefits of recycled paper, recycling, the availability of alternative fibers, and the benefits of healthy forest resources."

TRUTH BEHIND FORESTETHICS’ DEMANDS ON STAPLES

Fiber output from national forests has decreased by more than 75% in the last 12 years. As the Forest Service looks to reduce the very real threat of catastrophic wildfires and improve forest health through the thinning of forests, it is important these trees not be wasted. Whenever possible these trees that have been thinned should be utilized for useful wood and paper products rather than going to waste.

Office papers containing up to 30% post-consumer fiber are currently readily available. The U.S. EPA recognizes this as the most realistic goal, given current technological constraints.

Wood fibers cannot be recycled indefinitely – there must be an infusion of new, stronger fibers to maintain the integrity of paper.

Paper made from cotton fiber is readily available. "Tree-free" alternatives are not realistic or environmentally preferable at this point.

The industry is poised to assist Staples and all office product retailers in outreach and education efforts to explain the benefits of recycling. Alternative fibers, as discussed earlier, are not a realistic option at this point. No one is more committed to healthy forests than the forest products industry—they make their living there and count on the long-term sustainability of all forests, both public and private.

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