Bathroom Tissue and Paper Towels

GREEN SEAL’S

REPOR T    PAPER TOWELS BATHROOM TISSUEAND rechanneled. paper thatis every tonof of spacefor cubic yards by saving3.3 on landfills the impact fibers reduces postconsumer items. Useof short-lived impact ofthese reduce the possible can much postconsumerwasteas 100% recycledmaterialandas of tissueandtowelscontaining been lost.However, thepurchase potential forreplenishingwhathas recycled, therebyeliminatingthe to beusedagain.Theycannot paper towelsareusedonce,never paper towels.Bathroomtissueand Paper Towels Bathroom Tissue and The ShortLifeof Paper useisexpected increase to approximately 46%by the U.S. is timberconsumedinthe 30%ofthe 40%oftrash ofpaper inU.S. landfillsconsists year 2040. makeused to paperproducts. products. bathroom tissueand ne ofthelargest products industryis segments ofthepaper ton ofpaperthat consumer fibers is rechanneled. space forevery cubic yardsof the impacton Use ofpost- landfills by saving 3.3 reduces

of thereport. information isprovidedatthe end free); manufacturercontact (unbleached orprocesschlorine and thebleachingprocessused including postconsumermaterials, to percentageofrecycledcontent, provide informationwithrespect recommend productbrandsand Table 2papertowels.Thetables Table 1coversbathroomtissue, tables attheendofthisreport: products wehaveincludedtwo Choices You MakeSound Green SealWill Help fewer toxicchemicals materials andprocessedwith towel productsmadeofrecovered ing bathroomtissueandpaper scarce landﬁllspacebychoos the environment,andreducing to preservingresources,protecting Institutions cancontributegreatly and howtoreducetheseimpacts. room tissueandpapertoweluse environmental impactsofbath describes theenormouspotential This To assistyouinbuyinggreen Choose GreenReport

MARCH 2004 .

- - Startling Statistics About the Advantages of Recycling Every ton of 100% recycled paper saves an estimated 4,100 kilowatt-hours of energy, 7,000 gallons of water and 60 pounds of air pollutants. If all paper towels were made with 100% recycled materials, approximately 1 million tons If recycled of used paper materials were would be kept out of our not used, 3.5 waste stream. tons of virgin If recycled wood would be materials were not used to needed in order manufacture to manufacture order to manufacture one ton of be channeling the greatest amount bathroom bathroom tissue. The statistics of waste away from our landfills. one ton of tissue, 3.5 demonstrate that recycling has tons of virgin bathroom dramatically less impact on the Recovered paper materials wood would tissue. environment. include paper waste generated be needed in after the completion of a paper making process, such as Postconsumer postconsumer materials; envelope cuttings; bindery trimming; The Choose Green Report is published Versus Recovered for Green Seal Environmental Partners. obsolete inventories; and rejected, To become an Environmental Partner, Materials…What’s unused stock. Recovered materials or to receive a copy of this report, the Difference? do not, however, include fibrous contact Green Seal at (202) 872-6400 or [email protected]. There are two categories waste generated during the manufacturing process such as Green Seal President and CEO, of recycled materials. Why Arthur B. Weissman, Ph.D. distinguish between the two? fibers recovered from wastewater or trimmings from paper machine Researcher and Writer, Marcia Yaffa The difference is significant. Postconsumer materials include rolls (trimmings are also called any items that have already been “mill broke”). These are not Design, Cutting Edge Graphics used by consumers or businesses included in the category of Original printed on Green Seal-certified and would otherwise be sent to recovered materials regardless Mohawk Satin Cool White Recycled landfills or incinerators. Typical of whether such materials are paper, 30% postconsumer content postconsumer materials include used by the same company or used food containers, newspapers, by another company. Recovered Copyright © 2004, Green Seal, Inc. materials also do not include www.greenseal.org old cardboard boxes and any paper materials set out for pickup fibrous by-products of harvesting, at curbside or brought to recycling extractive or woodcutting centers. By purchasing products processes, nor do they include GREEN SEAL with the highest percentage of forest residues such as bark. ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNER postconsumer materials you will

2 Choose Green Report Chlorine Bleaching bleached products. Generally, free (ECF). More environmentally the primary difference responsible bleaching alternatives Is Harmful at between bleached and to chlorine and its derivatives All Levels of unbleached is the are oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, the Food color. However, sodium hydrosulfite, enzyme Chain if unbleached bleaching and ozone. Use of these products are not compounds prevents the release of Chlorine and available or if highly dangerous chemicals such its derivatives you must choose as dioxins. such as hypo- white, then chlorite and select products chlorine dioxide that are process should not be used Deinking chlorine free to make recycled Recycled Paper (PCF) first (see Brief paper. Paper towels Glossary). If PCF towels The process of deinking requires are sometimes bleached are not available, choose a the removal of coatings, fillers, with elemental chlorine (chlo- product that is elemental chlorine pigments, inks and dyes from rine gas), which causes the release of chlorinated compounds, such as dioxins and BRIEF GLOSSARY furans, which Chlorinated are powerful compounds Dioxins: Highly toxic chlorinated organic chemicals linked to carcinogens cancer and interference with the immune system and reproductive adversely affect and muta- system. gens. These immune systems compounds and reproduc- Effluent: Outflow from an industrial facility, typically containing adversely af- pollutants. tive systems and fect immune Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF): Bleached with a chlorine systems and are harmful to derivative such as chlorine dioxide rather than with chlorine gas. reproductive aquatic life and systems and wildlife. Food Chain: A sequence of organisms each of which uses the are harmful next lower member of the sequence as a food source. to aquatic life and wildlife. In Postconsumer: Refers to materials that have served their end- addition, these purpose and have been diverted from landfills. chemicals are bioaccumulative, meaning they build up increasingly Process Chlorine Free (PCF): Not bleached with chlorine or higher concentrations of poten- its derivatives. tially toxic chemicals in organisms. Sanitary Landfills: Disposal sites for non-hazardous solid wastes Organisms at the top of the food chain (such as human beings) may spread in layers, compacted to the smallest practical volume and therefore accumulate concentra- covered by material applied at the end of each operating day. tions a million times higher than Totally Chlorine Free (TCF): Pulp that has never been bleached those that are present in the environment. with chlorine or its derivatives; hence, in practical terms made from 100% virgin components. Not recommended for bathroom Green Seal recommends tissue or paper towel production. choosing unbleached products Virgin Paper: Paper made from pulp that has never been used whenever possible because unbleached products can be just before in a product. as effective and functional as Waste Stream: Total flow of solid waste from homes, businesses, institutions and manufacturing plants. Waste is recycled, burned or deposited in landfills.

Choose Green Report 3 recycled paper before the paper is contaminants such as chlorinated used to make bathroom tissue and organic compounds from the paper towels. Deinking allows the original paper bleaching process. use of the most substantial portion The deinked pulp is often bleached of the paper (the cellulose fiber) to again with chlorinated compounds. be extracted for recycling. A deinking Sludge disposal is properly mill produces handled in one of several ways: placed in a special landfill In deinking 21–31% less it is especially designed with groundwater important effluent per unit monitoring systems and leachate that disposal of production collection; sent to an incinerator; “landfarmed” (distributed over of sludge than that of a be properly farmland soils); or reused in handled. Sludge virgin paper making concrete blocks, among is a semi-solid mill. other products. Though none residue that metals such as cadmium, of these options is completely remains at chromium, mercury and arsenic impact-free to the environment, the end of the deinking process. which are in inks and dyes used in they do not have the harmful Sludge can contain toxic heavy printing. Sludge may also contain effects of using virgin pulp to make bathroom tissue and paper towels. Deinking mills prevent large amounts of refuse from entering HOW UNCONTROLLED USE OF FOLDED TOWELS COSTS MONEY AND CREATES WASTE our municipal waste stream. A deinking mill produces 21–31% less effluent per unit of production Individual paper towels come in different folds: singlefold, multifold than that of a virgin paper mill. and C-fold. Singlefold has one fold, multifold two folds. A C-fold Deinked sludge also contains towel is approximately 13” x 10” when fully opened and flat, significantly fewer chlorinated organic compounds than those which rarely ever happens when it is used. The flat towel con- generated by the original sists of three different folds (hence, opening up into a “C”), bleaching of wastepaper stock. and the final, folded piece is a rectangle measuring about 10” in length and 3½” in width. Buy Towels in Did you ever observe how people pull out folded High-Capacity paper towels by the fistful just to wipe their hands? Rolls Or if a cup of coffee is spilled one or two people run off Look for paper towels that are wrapped around a to grab enormous amounts of folded towels as if a gallon of central core of 100% recycled liquid had been spilled. The easy accessibility of folded towels fiber and allow the dispensing makes them readily available to grab by the handful. In contrast, of only the amount needed hardwound roll towels combined with controlled-use dispensers (controlled-use dispensing). Seek out the item that contains control the amount provided and save huge amounts of more square feet than that paper — 25 to 35%. Roll towels also require up to 80% less of other standard rolls. Some packaging. In most applications, roll towel dispensers need to manufacturers “puff up” their be refilled far less often than folded towel dispensers, saving products with air to make the diameter the same as that of on maintenance time. Moreover, roll towels are more compact, bigger rolls, but the inflated roll requiring less storage space. continued on page 6

4 Choose Green Report WAYS YOU CAN HAVE LESS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Published environmental standards for bathroom tissue and paper towels were reviewed, including standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), U.S. Department of the Interior, and Green Seal. Including the largest amount of recycled and postconsumer wastepaper is the best way to save used materials from the waste stream. Accordingly, bathroom tissue should contain 100% recycled content, including a minimum of 20% postconsumer waste. Paper towels should contain 100% recycled content, including a minimum of 40% postconsumer waste. Also, bathroom tissue and paper towels should contain no added pigments, inks, dyes or fragrances, and should be unbleached or bleached preferably without any chlorine derivatives to minimize release of toxic chemicals in production. In addition, choosing products with environmentally preferable packaging further diverts materials from the waste stream and avoids contamination of the environment with toxins and other harmful chemicals.

These Are the Selection/Recommendation Criteria for Environmentally Preferable Bathroom Tissue and Paper Towels:  Where available, purchase bathroom tissue and paper towels certiﬁed as environmentally preferable under Green Seal’s environmental standards, GS-1 and GS-9, respectively.  Purchase bathroom tissue and paper towels made of 100% recovered materials.  Bathroom tissue should contain a minimum of 20% postconsumer waste; paper towels should contain a minimum of 40% postconsumer waste.  Choose unbleached paper towels ﬁrst; process chlorine free (PCF), second; elemental chlorine free (ECF), third.  Select packaging having minimum environmental impact: made of recycled and recyclable materials; imprinted with safe inks; and containing no toxic metals, dyes, inks or fragances. Avoid products which are packaged in outer cartons that are inappropriately sized or which contain excessive inner packaging materials.  Seek items having the largest amount of product. For example, each roll of bathroom tissue should contain at least 40 square feet of product.  Select high-capacity hardwound roll towels (800 feet or more).

Choose Green Report 5 has fewer sheets. By choosing the product having more square feet, you can be sure of getting the maximum amount of towel for the cost. Choose paper When possible, towels that are hardwound roll use hardwound towels (800 feet roll towels with or more). When a controlled-use possible, use hardwound roll dispenser. towels with a controlled-use dispenser that reduces the amount Less packaging consumes less waste stream, so how the package of paper used by dispensing only a ﬁber, resulting in fewer air, water is made is almost as important predetermined towel length, which and solid pollutants, as well as as how the product is made. may be reduced appropriately. conservation of fossil fuels. Packaging should not contain Uncontrolled folded towels, excess materials to “bulk up” the such as C-fold towels, generate product. A box properly sized to considerable waste in the use Packaging the product reduces waste and phase and can be more costly to saves the purchaser money. Boxes purchasers (see sidebar on Potentially Hidden made of corrugated cardboard page 4). Costs to You and the or paperboard should contain Environment recycled and recyclable materials. There are additional beneﬁts You can diminish the The box should be made and of hardwound roll towels amount of waste printed without toxic metals compared to generated and other harmful chemicals. individual, folded by choosing Some vendors of bathroom tissue towels. Hardwound packaging and paper towels may be well roll towels that has informed about the manufacture often require little of recycled paper products, but less packaging impact on the might unknowingly purchase per weight than environment. Much their packaging materials from do individual, of the packaging companies who have no knowledge pre-folded towels. ends up in the solid of or interest in what least impacts the environment.

THE ADVANTAGES OFG REEN SEAL CERTIFICATION Green Seal, Inc., is an independent, non-profit organization whose mission is to create a more environmentally sustainable economy by identifying and promoting environmentally preferable products and services. Green Seal has developed environmental leadership standards for doz- ens of product and service categories, including bathroom tissue and paper towels, and its certification program verifies that products meet these stringent standards. Therefore, when purchasers see that a product is Green Seal-certified, they know that it is environmentally preferable because it has been validated by a reputable third party with no financial interest in the product or company that manufactures it. In this report Green Seal has independently verified product information only for those products indicated as Green Seal certified; other product information has not been verified by Green Seal.

6 Choose Green Report Table 1. Recommended Bathroom Tissue Products

None of the products listed contains fragrance. -

Product Name Bleaching Manufacturer (Bathroom Tissue) Recycled Content Process Notes

Bay West Paper EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Process Green Seal certiﬁcation also requires Bathroom Tissue up to 49% chlorine free packaging to be free of toxins (above postconsumer trace levels), including lead, mercury, cadmium, and other harmful chemicals, and to reduce waste

Marcal Paper Mills Bathroom Tissue 100% recycled Process Manufactures 100% total recycled > 60% postconsumer chlorine free content in all of its paper products

Javits-Wagner-O’Day “Kick Butt” bathroom 100% recycled Process Program tissue paper, and other >30% postconsumer chlorine free c/o National Industries bathroom tissues for the Blind

Cascades Tissue Group North River Bathroom 100% recycled Process 500, 1000 sheets, jumbo roll tissue Tissue 60% postconsumer chlorine free

Earth Friendly Products Earth Friendly 100% recycled Process 35% postconsumer chlorine free

Kimberly-Clark Bathroom tissue 45% minimum Elemental Scott Product Codes Worldwide, Inc products post-consumer chlorine free  07005 Scott Coreless JRT Jr 1-ply  Scott Coreless JRT Jr Less than 100%  07006 Scott Coreless JRT Jr 2-ply 1-ply recycled content  04007 Scott Coreless Standard 2-ply  Scott Coreless JRT Jr These products minimize packaging 2-ply waste by eliminating cores and  Scott Coreless Standard including more tissue in the roll. 2-ply © 2004, Green Seal, Inc. Use of this table for commercial purposes is prohibited. Information Seal, Inc. Use of this purposes in this con is prohibited. Green table table for commercial © 2004, was Seal unless otherwise Green by It has not been independently verified firmed identified as with the manufacturer. Seal certified.Green

= Product is certiﬁed to Green Seal’s environmental standards (GS-1 for bathroom tissue, GS-9 for paper towels)

Choose Green Report 7 Table 2. Recommended Paper Towel Products

None of the products in this table contains fragrance.

Product Name Manufacturer (Paper Towels) Recycled Content Bleaching Process Notes

Bay West Paper EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Unbleached and process Green Seal certiﬁcation also Natural Roll Towels up to 82% postconsumer chlorine free requires products and packaging to be free of toxins (above trace levels), including lead, mercury, cadmium, and other harmful chemicals, and for packaging to EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Unbleached and process reduce waste Natural White Roll Towels up to 73% postconsumer chlorine free

EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Process chlorine free CenterPull Towels up to 49% postconsumer

EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Unbleached and process Natural White Singlefold up to 73% postconsumer chlorine free Towels

EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Unbleached and process Natural Multifold Towels up to 82% postconsumer chlorine free

EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Unbleached and process Natural White Multifold Towels up to 73% postconsumer chlorine free

EcoSoft™ Green Seal® 100% recycled Unbleached and process Natural White C-Fold Towels up to 73% postconsumer chlorine free

Javits-Wagner- Paper Towel, 100% recycled Process chlorine free Green Seal certification also O’Day Program C-fold 90% postconsumer requires products and packaging c/o National to be free of toxins (above trace Industries for levels), including lead, mercury, the Blind cadmium, and other harmful chemicals, and for packaging to reduce waste © 2004, Green Seal, Inc. Use of this table for commercial purposes is prohibited. Information in this table was confirmed with the manufacturer. It has not been independently Information Seal, Inc. Use of this purposes in this confirmed is prohibited. with Green table table for commercial © 2004, was the manufacturer. Seal unless otherwise Green by Seal certified.verified identified as Green

= Product is certiﬁed to Green Seal’s environmental standards (GS-1 for bathroom tissue, GS-9 for paper towels)

8 Choose Green Report Table 2. Recommended Paper Towel Products, continued

Product Name Manufacturer (Paper Towels) Recycled Content Bleaching Process Notes

Javits-Wagner- Paper Towel, 80% recycled Unbleached and/or Process Less than 100% recycled content O’Day Program Single-fold 40% postconsumer chlorine free c/o National Industries for the Blind

White Paper Towel 100% recycled Process chlorine free Seventh 80% postconsumer Generation Natural Paper Towel 100% recycled Unbleached 100% postconsumer

Kimberly-Clark Paper towels 100% recycled 70% bleach free; Scott Product Codes Worldwide, Inc Scott Products 70% postconsumer 30% elemental chlorine free  02021 Scott Hard-roll  Scott Hard-roll  04142 Scott Hard-roll Tradition Products Tradition Product Codes  Single-fold brown  01702 Single-fold  Multi-fold brown  01801 Multi-fold  Hard-roll brown  04128 Hard-roll

Cascades North River Paper Towels 100% recycled North River Kraft Paper Tissue Group Single-fold 80-100% postconsumer Towels available as Multi-fold unbleached and process C-fold chlorine free Roll Towels

Marcal Paper Multi-fold Towels 100% recycled Process chlorine free Manufactures 100% total recycled Mills 60% postconsumer content in all of its paper products

Georgia Paciﬁc Envision 100% recycled Available as unbleached Envision Acclaim Acclaim economy level 40% or more economy level paper towels postconsumer meet or exceed EPA postconsumer ﬁber content guidelines.

SCA Tissue Encore 100% recycled Process chlorine free 40% postconsumer

Second Nature 100% recycled Unbleached 40% postconsumer © 2004, Green Seal, Inc. Use of this table for commercial purposes is prohibited. Information Seal, Inc. Use of this purposes in this confirmed is prohibited. with Green table table for commercial © 2004, was the Seal unless otherwise Green by It has not been independentlySeal certified. verified identified as Green manufacturer.

= Product is certiﬁed to Green Seal’s environmental standards (GS-1 for bathroom tissue, GS-9 for paper towels)

Choose Green Report 9 NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID WASHINGTON, DC 1001 CONNECTICUT AVE., NW PERMIT NO. 5515 SUITE 827 WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036

IN THIS ISSUE

— Recommended Tissue and Paper Towel Products — Postconsumer materials — Bleaching without chlorine — Deinking recycled paper — Packaging

MANUFACTURER CONTACT INFORMATION

Bay West Paper 1-877-907-2737 toll-free http://www.baywestpaper.com

Javits-Wagner-O’Day Program 1-800-433-2304 http://www.jwod.com/ c/o National Industries for the Blind

Seventh Generation 1-802-658-3773 http://www.seventhgeneration.com

Cascades Tissue Group 1-800-246-0711 http://www.cascades.com

SCA Tissue 1-866-722-6659 toll-free http://www.scatissue.com

Marcal Paper Mills 1-201-796-4000 http://www.marcalpaper.com

Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. 1-800-346-4652 http://www.kcprofessional.com

Georgia Paciﬁc 1-404-652-4000 http://www.gp.com

Earth Friendly Products 1-800-335-3267 http://www.ecos.com