[GreenYes] Re: paper made from stone: compatibility with recycling programs?

["Susan Kinsella" <susan@no.address>]

Title: Re: [GreenYes] paper made from stone: compatibility with recycling programs?

The “stone” in these papers is calcium carbonate, otherwise known as marble. It is increasingly used as a filler and a whitener/brightener in printing and office papers, but the stone papers take it to the limit. (It is also used in lead-free paint, asbestos-free ceiling tiles, and as a neutralizer for smokestack gases, as well as for other manufacturing purposes.)

I haven’t heard of any problems that it might present to recycling systems, although I don’t think it would technically “recycle” - there’s no fiber in it. Some fillers get carried into the new paper in the recycled paper manufacturing process, but most go into the sludge.

While the stone paper manufacturers promote their product as “saving trees,” there are serious concerns about the impact of mining calcium carbonate, especially at the recently escalated rates. See http://www.vtce.org/omyaminepits.html for an overview of some of the issues, and http://www.vtce.org/omyainvermont.html I think it needs more of a lifecycle analysis.

Susan

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Susan Kinsella
Executive Director
Conservatree
San Francisco, CA
http://www.conservatree.org

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From: Stephen N Weisser <stevew@no.address>
Organization: GreenLine Paper Co
Reply-To: <stevew@no.address>
Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 13:43:08 -0500
To: 'GreenYes digest subscribers' <GreenYes@no.address>
Subject: [GreenYes] paper made from stone: compatibility with recycling programs?

Hi,
There are some unusual tree-free papers out there, such as:  http://www.viastone.net/  Any thoughts about this product and its compatibility with paper recycling programs?  Would be appreciated.
(On the same note my understanding has always been that the traditional alternative fibers like hemp, kenaf, cotton, bagasse...aren't a problem in the paper recycling streams?)

Thanks,

Stephen N. Weisser, Sales Manager
GreenLine Paper Company, Inc.
631 S. Pine Street
York, PA 17403
717-845-8697
1-800-641-1117
stevew@no.address
www.greenlinepaper.com <http://www.greenlinepaper.com/>
Close the loop: recycling works when we buy recycled.