Paper mills are among the most polluting of industries. The paper industry is the greatest energy consumer in our country. The U.S. paper industry's reliance on chlorine-intensive bleaching places this industry as the worst water polluter in the world. Paper is not all paper. Making paper requires a great deal of water, energy, and chemistry.
Many chemicals associated with the manufacture of paper are toxic or result in toxic waste.
Although the recycling of waste paper requires less of all these, the chemicals used and subsequent waste produced varies greatly. The biggest culprit is the bleaching process. Bleaching paper with chlorine is harmful to our environment. The toxic byproducts we hear about the most are dioxins. Dioxins are one type of organochloride, which result from the combination of chlorine and other substances.