The UB has two types of writing and printing paper: virgin fibers and recycled. Recycled paper is made from fibers that have already been used previously, and that have been recovered through the selective collection and recycling of paper and cardboard waste. Among the benefits of recycled paper we find the saving of wood, the saving of water and energy, a lower consumption of chemical reagents and fewer polluting emissions.
In contrast, virgin fiber paper, which we also know as white paper, is made from cellulose fiber obtained from felling trees. Given that the environmental impact of this type of paper is greater than that of recycled paper, the paper industry has been incorporating improvements, such as limiting the consumption of water and energy in manufacturing, using less toxic products in the bleaching process, or obtaining wood from sustainably managed forestry operations.
To visualize the environmental improvements of the paper we buy, there are different types of ecological certifications, such as the European ecological label, the Blue Angel, or sustainable forest product labels. The paper approved at the UB incorporates some of these certifications.
In addition to making a well-informed purchase, you must use paper responsibly :
- always use the sheets on both sides ;
- print only if necessary, many documents can be sent and saved in digital format and do not need to be printed;
- if you need to print documents, do it double-sided , or if it’s drafts, use paper written on one side that is no longer useful;
- edit the document to be printed so that it occupies the smallest number of pages possible;
- throw paper waste into the appropriate selective collection bin so that it can be recycled , thus closing the circle.
More information:
Do you know what the paper we use at UB looks like? – Safety, Health and Environment Office