Compared to virgin paper manufacturing, making paper from recycled material creates less air pollution and uses less energy and water. Fluorescent colors make copy paper harder to recycle. Help others to recycle by purchasing white and pastel-colored copy paper. Every year, each office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of copy paper, or a stack of paper nearly four feet high. With that much paper being consumed, imagine the impact offices could have on the environment if everyone chose to use recycled-content paper.
Offices can also go a step further and buy papers made with little or no chlorine.
When paper-making plants use chlorine to whiten paper, dioxins are formed which have been linked to cancer. When uncontrolled, dioxin is released into the air and then falls to the ground where contaminated plants and water are taken in by animals. The dioxin accumulates in their fat and moves up the food chain as people eat beef and dairy products. The Minnesota Department of Administration supports the federal standard and strongly encourages state and local government purchasers to follow this guideline. If so, you're not alone.