Paper manufacturing is among the most energy-intensive manufacturing sectors; it is also by far the biggest driver of publishing’s environmental impact.
‘Paper is by far the biggest contributor to a book’s carbon footprint’ according to the French Publishers’ Association, who found in 2017 that paper accounts for between 50-80% of a print publisher’s carbon footprint on average.
Given its large and visible impact, paper is also the area of book production with the most robust and established sustainability metrics. FSC and PEFC certifications are the most trusted frameworks for ascertaining that paper is ethically sourced – not using practices that contribute to deforestation or illegal logging.
The FSC Mix label means the wood within the product is from FSC-certified forests, recycled material, or controlled wood. Although not FSC-certified, controlled wood cannot be harvested illegally, or from forests where conservation values are threatened
Despite the rapid growth of ebooks this century, print books still account for over 80% of trade book sales in Australia. Therefore we must continue to improve the sustainability of our paper usage through:
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Sustainable sourcing (FSC certification)
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Prioritising recycled over ‘virgin’ paper from non-FSC or PEFC sources
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Choosing paper that is low-carbon and produced without harmful chemical treatments
- Choosing lower grammage paper, so that less raw materials are being used
Choosing your paper
Generally, choosing certified or recycled paper is one area in which publishers have a considerable amount of control over the sustainability of their indirect operations.
While it is printers who purchase paper from suppliers, publishers may request that printers select only FSC certified paper, paper with higher amounts of recycled pulp, or lower-weight paper. They may also put pressure on printers to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals from their processes, and instead prioritise cleaner, chlorine-free methods.
Standards for book manufacturing will differ from country to country. For instance, in some Asian countries where many Australian publishers outsource their printing, certification systems like FSC and PEFC are not used. In these cases, publishers should ask printers for further information about their paper sourcing processes.
Recycled paper
The US Book Industry Environmental Council noted in a 2016 report a trend of ‘continued decline in the use of recycled fibre in book papers’.
One roadblock to the widespread introduction of recycled paper is that some types of books (art books, graphic novels, and textbooks, for example) require thicker, shinier, paler stocks that it is not currently possible to produce from recycled fibre.
Single-stream recycling, a prevalent method which groups together a number of different materials, making for a lower-quality product, also makes recycled paper less attractive to many publishers. Additionally, recycled paper is sometimes whitened using a toxic bleach, reducing its environmental credentials.
Generally, the most environmentally-friendly form of recycled paper is post-consumer waste paper. Whereas pre-consumer waste paper is produced from scraps from paper mills and printers, post-consumer waste paper is made from paper that has already been used by consumers in the form of other products.
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