The Paper Facts You Should Know To Support Your Sustainability Goals
For many businesses, sustainability is a top priority, from modernising paper-based operations to new ways they can reduce paper consumption and waste.
It is estimated that 50% of a business’s waste is paper, which is why businesses across every industry are reviewing their sustainability efforts and setting goals for their sustainability journey.
Take a look at 27 fascinating facts about paper, paper waste and recycled paper that we think you should know to help drive your sustainability goals.
Facts About Paper
One document is photocopied 19 times in its lifespan
380 gallons of oil are used for every ton of paper produced
More than 199 tons of paper is produced in 15 seconds
324 litres of water is used to make 1 kilogram of paper
Paper can be categorised into seven types: printing paper, writing paper, drawing paper, wrapping paper, handmade paper, blotting paper, and speciality paper
The number of junk mail delivered every year can be equated to 100 million trees
An average office worker is said to use around 10,000 sheets of paper each year (and as many as 6,800 of those sheets are wasted)
It takes around 10 litres of water to make just one sheet of A4 paper
The world currently uses around 400 million tons of paper per year
Figures About Paper Waste
With the amount of paper wasted each year, a 12-foot-high wall of paper could be built from New York to California
North Americans and Europeans use more than 200kg of paper each per year
The average family in the UK throws away 6 trees worth of paper every year
The average person in the UK gets through 38 Kg of newspaper every year
Every year, people in the UK use 12.5 million tons of paper and cardboard
In the UK, a forest the size of Wales is needed to produce all the paper being used
Paper and cardboard account for one-fifth of all waste produced in the UK
40% of the UK population still use paper-based communication
About 45% of paper used in offices, be it for printing or other uses ends up in the bin
Recycled Paper in Numbers
Paper fibre can typically be recycled between 6 to 8 times
1 ton of new fibre paper consumes 24 trees but 1 ton of 100% recycled paper consumes 0 trees
Recycling paper requires 30% of the electrical energy and 70% of the water that would typically be needed to produce it from wood
We recycle around 80% of paper in the UK
Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4000 kilowatts of energy, and 7000 gallons of water
The production of recycled paper contributes to cleaner air. Compared to the production of standard paper, recycled paper production reduces air pollution by up to 73%
About two-thirds of the paper we use gets to be recycled
It takes just 7 days to recycle a newspaper into a new one
All newspapers in the UK are made from 100% recycled paper
Want to Reduce Paper Use and Waste?
As part of the Xerox family, ITEC is truly committed to caring for the planet and helping to create a more sustainable future. Since the 1960s, Xerox has been a proud innovator when it comes to products with sustainable benefits such as 2-sided printing, digital document management and recycled paper. We are here to make your printing environment more eco-responsible.
We are also experts in planning and implementing efficient document management systems to help businesses automate, manage, track and store digital documents to help them reduce paper use and paper waste.
Speak to our team today to discuss your requirements and discover how we can help you leverage technology to support you to achieve your sustainability goals.
Webinar: Developing a Roadmap to Net Zero
Join us for the story behind Xerox’s net zero target, and learn actionable insights for your own sustainability roadmap.
Your road map to carbon zero and sustainability
The impact of becoming more sustainable in the workplace - how we can help you achieve your goals.
Explore the circular economy
Rethink how you work to tackle waste.
Related Articles
Steps for a Greener Workplace
Let’s take a look at 7 steps you could take today to make your workplace more sustainable.
What are Scope Emissions?
Understand the three types of scope emissions to support your sustainability journey
Sustainability & Digital Transformation
Find out how our digital solutions and services can support your sustainability goals
Recycle your toners
Xerox toners, as well as non-Xerox cartridges, can be recycled quickly and easily with the Xerox Eco Box.
Sustainable solution for local charity
Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity benefitted from the legacy of COP26 with BSI-accredited remanufactured devices to support their essential work.
Elements for a roadmap to Net Zero
Know the elements and steps your business needs to take for developing a roadmap to net zero.