Educational efforts to accompany the passage of this law encourage local governments, corporations, non-profit organizations, individuals, families, and publishers to use alkaline paper for their records of enduring value. It requires that public procurement units purchase and use alkaline paper. Historical evidence worldwide is threatened because documents printed or written on acidic paper are crumbling into dust. Now that we know how to avoid this and can afford to do so, we can take steps to ensure that the records we create today last far into the future. The acid content of paper is the best indicator of its life expectancy.
Paper becomes increasingly acidic as it ages and interacts with environmental pollutants.
Therefore, it's better to start off with an alkaline paper. It's even better if the paper contains alkaline buffering material to offset the effects of pollutants. These terms all indicate that the paper is not acidic, but there are some differences. Something that is alkaline or acid-free is not necessarily permanent. It also meets certain strength standards and contains an alkaline buffer to offset environmental factors that will make the paper become acidic.