Chicago Company Launches Tree Free Paper

"The paper ... can be used outdoors without being at risk from decomposing." How is this safe for the environment? I call BS on this!!

"The paper ... can be used outdoors without being at risk from decomposing." How is this safe for the environment? I call BS on this!!

Have you ever seen limestone decompose?? It's made from that stuff, dear.

I must say that when I first read this I was thinking someone was kidding me. But it's the real deal.

Do the materials have to be mined, then? And is it recyclable?

Seems very cool but I don't see a lot of information as to exactly what this entails. If this is really "Greener" then we need to know what how/when it breaks down, whether it's recyclable, and what kind of process is used to create it. I don't even see a link to the manufacturer, so this strikes me as a somewhat weak post.

Dear Tetsuo,
FYI the very first link in the story links directly to the company. I have calls out to the company to see if it's working on getting FSC certification and will likely get your questions about recycling answered. As for the breakdown of the paper - it's 100% environmentally friendly. I have no reason to believe GPA would put its reputation at risk and lie here. What, in your opinion, constitutes a 'strong' post??
Regards,
Angelique van Engelen

Sorry, I didn't realize that the first link was tot he company - their website could use some work. What I meant was - how are you defining "100% Environmentally Friendly" .. i mean, that really means nothing.

Regular paper is "100% environmentally friendly" even if it consumes trees. It all depends on how those trees were grown, etc... this stuff might be fantastic, but it's just a little light on information for me to start singing praises just yet. That's all I meant.

This is clay-glazed Tyvek, essentially. If it does not degrade, which we are told it does not, then it is no better than plastic t-shirt bags which take forever to decompose. These sheets will be another contribution to the plastic sea in the N. Pacific gyre, and the plastic in landfills.

And, of course the mineral content has to be mined. This is a classic attempt at greenwashing. Don't fall for it.

Of course the mineral content has to be mined and shipped to the factory.

What you are getting here is essentially clay-coated Tyvek. Clay coating of paper stock is nothing new -- it accounts for the shine on magazine pages, for instance. If the material doesn't bio-degrade, which we are told it does not, then it is no better than the plastic in store T-shirt bags that are being banned where there is any sense.

This material will just be a perpetual contribution to landfills, and to the plastic soup in the North Pacific gyre.

This is a greenwash, for my money.

The only thing I would like to know is if it does not decompose then how do you get rid of it? Sure it's "tree-free" but can it be recycled? What's the use of this product if all it's going to do is fill up the land fills and pollute the earth in that way?

Oh and they are taking another natural resource that's going to take even longer to get back...good job fellas! Why don't we protest and only buy recycled products and make recycling a way of life. Make these companies plant two trees to every tree they cut down!

Dear Mellissa,
I think that when it comes to a trade off between chopping down trees/using chlorine/wasting bulk amounts of water/producing bulk amounts of wastage that ends up in landfills AND giving this company a chance which uses limited chemical components that are not biodegradable, my money would be on the innovative company. At least until I wasn't sure about the deal on recycling. For all you know now the paper might even be recyclable with a name like Ultra Green.
I have put out calls to the company and am expecting to hear back from them any minute.

For all you know the amount of chemicals used or their detrimental effects might be less than the chlorine/chemicals used in the production of regular paper.
The more I think about it the more I like the stuff. Especially because of the tree factor.

Be careful! HDPE is a type of plastic. Where does plastic come from? Petroleum. Hmmmm? Don't we have a supply and demand problem with that stuff?

Another important point to consider is this:

If this new "paper" enters the recycling cycle (via recycling bins for example), how is it going to affect the recycling process if you try to mix it with regular fiber-based paper?

Very good points - don't forget to add end of life disposal - this plastic product get driven out of town, processed and then sit's in a landfill (carbon sequestration?) whereas paper goes in my composter and feeds my flowers.

I was flattered that Angelique copied and pasted our Ultra Green Tree Free Paper sale sheet on this website and commented on its appeal as a green alternative to paper or synthetic paper. I'm not at all surprised with the responses it received. When it comes to environmental issues, and especially items that use this sensitive topic to promote themselves, there are plenty of critics ready to raise their hand and cry foul.

The environmental impact of Ultra Green has everything to do with the manufacturing process, not the recycling of it. At no time did GPA indicate that we are presenting to our customers a product that will revolutionize the recycling or disposal of printed matter as we know it. There is no silver bullet in this area. Printers nor their suppliers can be held responsible for the recycling of the printed materials that are produced, paper or plastic. Items that end up in landfills do exactly that- fill our land with stuff. Ultra Green is comprised of 20% HDPE (high density polyethylene)that can be recycled. The recycling of Ultra Green has the same challenges as recycling efforts of paper or synthetic papers that it may replace on a given print campaign. In my opinion, recycling efforts as a whole fall way too short. The truth of the matter is Ultra Green when used as a substitute for paper has a positive influence on the environment, as Angelique stated in her article. It saves trees, water, and energy as compared to the manufacturing of paper. Synthetic papers such as Tyvek, Yupo, and other polypropylene or polyethylene based products, are solely derived from petrochemicals which makes Ultra Green an ecological choice. Oh and by the way the paper manufactures in the U.S. have been replanting trees for over 75 years. Forest land has increased 10% since 1920, despite a 143% increase in population, so don't bash the paper companies for not doing their part, they just use water and harsh chemicals to make their products and produce water-born waste in the process.

Ultra Green is not a miracle product that will make all other substrate alternatives obsolete, it's just an alternative substrate that offers a greener process to produce. As far as it being 80% calcium carbonate (limestone) and how were depleting another natural resource hmmmm... The earths crust is comprised of 15% limestone and limestone is the 5th most abundant element on earth.

I would caution everyone to be on the alert in these times as marketing "Going Green" seems to be the in thing to do. It's all in how you spin it, after all it's not so new, how do you think the explores got anyone to want to travel northwest from Iceland it was easy they simply called the new place Greenland.

Thank you Greg, that clarifies a lot. Mind you, I did not 'copy and paste' anything besides the quotes. Once more; I am convinced this is a winner and I think it deserves some sort of award.

HH, still laughing about that last line. Really Greg, do let me know if you need help with your marketing. I'd love to sophisticate things up for you!!

Interesting paid advertisement. Interesting posts. Stone papers are not new- this stuff has been around for over 7 years. Calcium carbonate has been used in paper for hundreds of years. What IS new is the use of this material in labels and packaging. I don't know about this ultra green film but I do know about FiberStone™ tree-free paper made from stone. For answers about stone paper/rock papers such as FiberStone™ you can go to www.naturalsourceprinting.com/fiberstone or google FiberStone tree-free paper. The answers you all seek are there, and if they are not just e-mail me: (Jeff Salisbury) jeff@labelimpressions.com. I'll be happy to give you the skinny on stone paper.