Dictionary of Environmental Terms
Definitions are taken from the EPA and other recognized environmental authorities. We have taken the liberty to make these non-technical definitions.

• Acid Free: Paper made in a neutral pH system, usually buffered with calcium carbonate.This increases the longevity of the paper.
  
  Archival: Acid free or neutral paper that includes a minimum of 2% calcium carbonate to increase the longevity of the paper.
  
  Brightness: A technical measurement of the light reflected back from a paper. Generally 100 is the highest you can calibrate. High bright papers usually look whitest. Higher brightness provides better print contrast especially for full color.
  
  CFPA: The Chlorine Free Products Association (CFPA) is an independent not-for-profit accreditation and standard setting organization. Their focus is promoting sustainable manufacturing practices, implementing advanced technologies free of chlorine chemistry, educating consumers on alternatives, and developing world markets for sustainably produced third party certified products and services. Through Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) and Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) certification, they aim to guide consumers’ purchasing choices, support government decisions and encourage the industry to move beyond recycling.
  
  Chlorine: Chlorine and its compounds were commonly used to bleach fibers. This has been mostly eliminated. Virgin fibers are generally ECF, meaning no elemental chlorine or TCF meaning the bleaching is done with hydrogen peroxide, oxygen or ozone. Recycled fibers are generally PCF, meaning they were put back into the paper without the use of any chlorine or its compounds. Environmental Defense approves calling 100% post consumer fiber produced without chlorine, TCF.
  
  Conservation: The preservation and responsible use of our natural resources to ensure they endure. Recycled papers are an excellent choice because they conserve trees, water, chemicals, energy and landfill space.
  
  Crop Residue: An alternative source of fiber for paper making. Although rigorous use does have some environmental consequence, they are a clean and renewable source of cellulose.
  
  CRS: The Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) is a national nonprofit working to build a robust renewable energy market by increasing demand and supply of renewable resources. CRS administers the Green-e Renewable Electricity Certification program, which certifies renewable power products sold by marketers, utilities and energy service providers in wholesale and retail markets. Visit www.resource-solutions.org for more information.
  
  De-inking: A process which removes ink, toner, coatings and most fillers from recovered paper. The environmental priority is to make this process chlorine free.
  
  Dirt Count: The average amount of dirt in a specific size of paper area. Both virgin and recycled sheets have “dirt,” although recycled paper has significantly higher dirt counts. The dirt should always be small enough not to interfere with the quality of the finished printed piece.
  
  Ecological Footprint: Measurement of the resources used for each person or organization based on the land required to feed, clothe and sustain it. Although not precise, this is a common metric in environmental and sustainability reports.
  
  ECF: Elemental Chlorine Free pulp is bleached without the use of elemental chlorine. Generally this is virgin fiber bleached with chlorine dioxide.
  
  Environmental Impact: A measure of the total impact of an activity on the environment. This includes production, transportation, energy and even the energy required to get the materials and the employees to and from the activity.
  
  EPA: The US Environmental Protection Agency, which publishes guidelines for minimum recycled product content for use by federal agencies for purchasing standards. Many state and local governments and businesses have voluntarily adopted these. The EPA is charged with most of the environmental responsibility for guidance, direction, monitoring and enforcement in the United States. EPA’s Green Power Partnership provides assistance and recognition to organizations such as Neenah Paper that demonstrate environmental leadership by choosing green power. Visit www.epa.gov for more information.
  
  Fiber: The small strands of wood, cotton or other cellulose product that is used to make the paper. In the premium paper market all of the fiber is lignin free. Fiber before it is made into the finished product is referred to as pulp.
  
  FSC: The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, international, environmentally and socially oriented forest certification organization. It trains, accredits and monitors third-party certifiers around the world and works to establish international forest management standards.
  
  Green-e: Administered by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions (CRS), Green-e Renewable Electricity Certification Program is the nation’s leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy products. CRS established the Green-e Program in 1997 to help individuals and businesses make responsible choices about the power they purchase. For more information, visit www.green-e.org.
  
  Green Power: Green Power is a term used to describe electricity produced by renewable sources that are less harmful to the environment than fossil fuels. These renewable sources include but are not limited to wind power, solar power, low impact hydropower and biomass.
  
  Green Seal: Green Seal is an independent non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding
  the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services. Green Seal works with manufacturers, industry sectors, purchasing groups, and governments at all levels to “green” the production and purchasing chain. Products only become Green Seal certified after rigorous testing and evaluation, including on-site plant visits. Visit www.greanseal.org for more information.
  
  Making Order: A paper that is not available off the supplier’s shelf, but they will produce it when ordered. Making orders for special sizes, colors and weights are subject to small minimums.
  
  Mixed Office Waste: Wastepaper generated from offices, such as letters, memos, invoices, etc. which are collected and sorted for paper qualities. This is the major source of post consumer fiber.
  
  OFEE: The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive was created in 2003 to assist the federal government with the application of sustainable environmental practices.
  
  Opacity: The amount of “show through” in a sheet from one side to the other. The higher the opacity the less likely that the printing will be visible from the opposite side. Recycled papers have opacity levels comparable to virgin sheets.
  
  Post Consumer Fiber: Paper that has reached its intended end-user and than discarded. The paper recovered from curbside collections is considered to be post consumer. Trim and scraps from the print shop are not. The print shop is not the “intended end-user,” but is adding value to the paper that will eventually reach the end-user.
  
  Pre-Consumer Fiber: Paper that is recovered before it reaches the end-user. Typically this includes converters, printers and others who are adding value but are not the intended end-user. Pre-consumer does not include mill manufacturing broke as pre-consumer, but it may include mill scrap from finishing and converting operations.
  
  PCF: Processed Chlorine Free (PCF) Certification insures the delivery of premium papers that are manufactured free of chlorine chemistry and from sustainable raw materials. Neenah Paper is the first premium paper mill certified by the Chlorine Free Products Association that our 100% post consumer recycled papers are Processed Chlorine Free (PCF). For more information, visit www.chlorinefreeproducts.org/marks.htm.
  
  Recyclable: This means the product can be recycled. This applies to most paper even if it is coated, waxed or otherwise treated.
  
  Recycled: Paper made at least in part from recovered fibers. There is no universally acceptable definition, so requirements vary by specific circumstances. EPA requires post consumer content in recycled papers purchased by federal agencies. But the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) does not require post consumer content in papers labeled recycled. Most US governments and companies uphold the EPA standards, but there is no requirement. In Canada most companies use the terra-choice definition for recycled which does require minimum levels of post consumer fiber.
  
  Recovered: Scrap paper collected for remanufacturing into recycled paper. EPA’s definition for recovered is the most widely accepted and does not include scrap paper created in the initial papermaking process, but does include scrap created in a mill after the paper comes off the paper machine. Printing waste and envelope trip are also recovered fiber.
  
  Virgin: Paper made from the fibers in their first use, usually from wood pulp.