While many Americans are content to mark Earth Day with measures like neighborhood clean-ups and planting trees in their communities, a growing number of consumers and manufacturers are moving beyond simple feel good activism and are starting to address more serious health and environmental dangers. At the top of the list is dioxin, a dangerous chemical unintentionally created and released into the air and water when chlorine is used to bleach paper. Many European nations have restricted the use of chlorine in manufacturing processes, and now more Americans are showing their support for processed chlorine-free products. A bill calling for the phase out of the use of chlorine in bleaching paper has been introduced in Congress, and Vermont has led several states in requiring their government agencies to use processed chlorine-free paper. The idea that you will help save our planet simply by using recycled paper products is not valid.
Little question remains about the toxic effects of dioxin.
Every man, woman and child in America already has dioxin in their body. Earth Day is a great opportunity for Americans to get the facts about dioxin. If you don't see that claim and, unfortunately, very few manufacturers want you to know what kind of bleach they are using, you can assume the paper was most likely bleached with chlorine. Hydrogen peroxide and oxygen bleaching are two such methods, resulting in by-products of only oxygen and water. However, major paper companies refuse to switch to chlorine-free processes, claiming the cost would be too high.