Which environmental labels are there?
There are several quality marks that indicate that paper is produced in a sustainable, less environmentally harmful way.
FSC-label
The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) label ensures that the raw materials for wood and paper products come from responsibly managed forests.
PEFC-label
PEFC stands for Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification. To receive this quality mark, the paper products must come from a forest that is sustainably managed.
ECF-label
To give the paper its white colour, it is often bleached. When this is done with chlorine, it is very harmful to the environment. When paper is certified with the ECF (Elementary Chlorine Free) quality mark, the paper has been bleached with a compound of chlorine and oxygen, which is much less harmful to the environment.
EU-Ecolabel
The EU-Ecolabel is a European label that indicates whether a product has been produced in an environmentally conscious manner. To receive this label, the production of paper must meet certain criteria that ensure that the production leads to a lower environmental impact. For example, no chlorine gas may be used as a bleaching agent and there are criteria for emissions and energy consumption.