Tree Free Paper: A Path to Saving Trees and Forests?

A new report by Dovetail Partners, Minneapolis, Minn., USA, titled Tree Free Paper: A Path to Saving Trees and Forests?, builds upon an earlier Dovetail examination of tree-free paper. The report presents findings of various investigations into environmental impacts of alternative fiber and paper production systems, including a recent cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of alternative fiber use in production of tissue. It also looks into the underlying assumption in the tree-free paper movement—that reducing or avoiding altogether the use of wood-derived fiber in making paper would, in fact, lead to more extensive forests and more trees.

Dovetail notes that paper can be produced from a wide variety of raw materials. Though wood has generally been found to be the most cost-effective source of fiber, non-wood fiber has long been used in papermaking in some parts of the world, and some non-wood use continues today. It is important, Dovetail points out, to recognize that production, collection, transport, and use of all raw materials result in environmental impacts. Fully understanding supply chains is critical to determining environmental attributes of any product.