Shorter fibers decrease the overall quality of the paper.
The paper has a glossy finish that must be eliminated in the recycling process. They contain a lower-quality paper that often is recycled into more phone books, usually by their publishers. Iowa State coordinates a fall phone book recycling project that coincides with the distribution of new campus and commercial directories. Erickson said the recycling committee plans to look into campus recycling programs for newsprint, magazine paper and cardboard once the office white paper program is better established. Finding a recycler and funding the cost of transporting materials to recycling sites are challenges.