DIVE DEEPER:

• The introduction of paper-making from pulp is attributed to Cai Lun in China, 105 CE, although evidence of paper-like materials goes back another two to three hundred years.

• Today, the pulp and paper industry is one of the largest in the world. Global production of paper and paperboard totals over 400 million metric tons each year, with packaging paper and board representing the highest demand. Due to China’s high output, producing 117 million metric tons in 2020, Asia has a 49% market share of global paper production.

• According to WWF, pulp and paper accounts for 13-15% of all wood consumption and between 33-40% of all industrial wood traded globally. Traditionally softwood trees are preferred for paper-making due to their longer fibres which, when processed, make stronger paper.

• The pulp required for the paper-making process is created by either chemically or mechanically softening the fibres. Chemical pulping produces paper free from lignin (known as wood-free paper), while mechanically pulped paper will still contain lignin which compromises the quality and longevity of the paper product. Newspaper is a key example of paper which contains lignin.

• The energy requirements of each process vary greatly, though mechanical pulping is generally the most intensive of the two due to the heavy machinery required. However, while paper and paperboard output increased by 0.3% per year between 2010 and 2019, final energy use grew on average 0.1% annually, demonstrating a rise in efficiency.

• Paper can be supplied either bleached, unbleached or coloured with dyes or pigments. Each additional process the paper undergoes increases the potential environmental impact of the product, through potential effluent discharge and emissions.

• Unlike plastic, the feedstocks for paper are renewable, but there are potential environmental impacts to be aware of. Deforestation, water usage and dioxin release are all environmental concerns associated with the paper industry.

• As with energy efficiency, other associated impacts have lessened as manufacturing has improved. According to the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, there was an 81% reduction in wastewater at pulp and paper mills in the US between 1959 and 2017. Meanwhile recycling causes 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution compared to making new paper. It also uses 40% less energy.

• Both paper and plastic are technically recyclable materials, however recycling rates for paper far outstrip those of plastic. In the US, 68% of paper and paperboard is recycled compared to 5% of plastic. In Europe, the paper recycling rate is 85% compared to a rate of 30% for plastic and in Asia plastic recycling varies from 5-25%, while paper recycling spans from 30-60%. Paper can be recycled five to seven times.

• High recycling rates provide high volumes of raw recycled material. In the UK, over 70% of the fibre used to manufacture paper and paperboard is recycled.

• Easy access to recycling facilities and environmental concerns about single-use plastic have seen paper innovations trending upwards. Vela uses paper for its polybag alternative, Amcor has created paper-based confectionery wrappers and Albea has created 100% FSC-certified cardboard makeup palettes. Paper is also increasingly replacing plastic at events, thanks to manufacturers like MM Kotkamills.